For Freedom
by Ameyoke
Summary: Gin and Kagura are getting married.It seems happy.Well,for a little. The amanto have weakened a lot and the ronin are fighting back.Gin too.But Toushi and Okita fight against the ronin.Will these 3 men in love live through? GinxKagu ToushixTae OkitaxKaede
1. Chapter 1: Marry Me

**Chapter 1: Marry Me**

"Kagura," Gin looked at Kagura inside Yorozuya, "Marry me." She just looked at him for about a minute. Was he kidding? Kagura went up to him and looked him deep into the eyes like a little child.

"Marry? I thought you liked Ketsuno Ana?" she said calmly.

"Kagura, we've been going out for a year nfow. I'm almost 23, and you're 20 now. We're at marrying age. I love you." He kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Gin, I love you too… But we earn a teeny bit of money as it is."

"I'll get more customers."

"My family hasn't met you yet."

"Then let them meet me."

"Okita was in love with me, he'll be pissed." They stayed silent for a moment. Gin knew that when she first started going out with him, Okita was furious. He was in love with Kagura too, but the woman in question had fallen deeply in love with Gintoki. Okita gave up without many sour feelings, but was expecting the relationship to be a small one. Now that Gin had proposed…

"Please, Kagura," he took her hand and kissed it softly, "I'll talk to him, but please marry me." She looked surprised for a moment, and then smiled with tears in her eyes.

"I will." She sobbed, still smiling.

"Kagura…!" Gin grasped her tightly in his arms, "Thank you…!" Kagura looked at his face, and could have sworn she saw a tear roll down his cheek. The cute girl went on her tiptoes and licked his tears away.

"Let's start a family together. You lost yours prematurely, right?" she hugged him softly, "I'll show you what a family is. A mother, a father, a child or two…"

"Children…"

"Is that bad?"

"I was thinking maybe you didn't want to."

"Why?"

"You seemed to not like little kids."

"Only the little brats who got on my nerves."

"Our kids could be like that, you know." He looked at her dully.

"If they have your smarts and my wits, there'll be no problem!"

"Yeah… Right… But sometimes we can be pretty dumb…"

"True." She laughed, and he joined her. They weren't afraid of what would happen next. They just knew that they'd be together. They were happy.

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"Kaede? Hi, it's Kagura. I'm sorry I haven't contacted you in a while… Long-distance is expensive."

"Onee-chan!" the girl perked over the phone, "How are you?!" Let me explain. Kaede is Kagura's little sister by two years. She's usually a calm, beautiful girl, but has a snippy temper. She has a bit of a cute side like her sister, and has long beautiful black hair.

"I'm doing well, really well. Actually… How are you, mama and papa?"

"Papa's energetic, but Mama's sickness…" Kaede said sadly.

"It's still bad?"

"Yeah."

"And there's no cure yet… Damn it…!" Kagura clenched at her hand tightly, "What's the life expectancy?"

"Honestly…" Kaede sobbed a bit, "Three weeks or less."

"No way…!" she fell to the ground.

"I know…" the sister gritted her teeth.

"Kaede, what I need you to do is very important," she cooed the younger, "I need you to try and get mom and dad and you to come here for a week or so."

"What?! Sis, you know it's expensive! Why don't you just come home!"

"…Kaede… I'm not going home. Maybe ever."

"Why?!" Kagura took in a deep breath to prepare herself. She would be the first one to know what was happening.

"I'm marrying Gin, my boss at Yorozuya."

"…What?!" she snapped, "Is he forcing you because he's your boss?!"

"No Kaede, we've been going out for a year now. There's no way he's forcing me. I love him very much." Kagura heard her sister on the phone clenching her lips over and over, "Please, Kaede. I'll never ask you for another favor. I want mother and father to see this moment, and you too! I'll schedule the wedding for two weeks from now. Please come." Kagura smiled sadly and hung up the phone.

"Onee-chan, you dummy…" Kaede cried, "Leaving your family for a guy…?"

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"Yo!" Gin tossed a soda to an unknowing Okita who still caught it anyway, "How's it going on the planet of sadists, King of Sadists?"

"Nice name," Okita said, his face not changing as he took a sip out of the can, "What's up today?"

"Well… I wanted to invite you."

"To what?"

"…My wedding."

"…With who?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Kagura."

"Ah."

"Ah?"

"Ah."

"No 'I'm gonna kill you!' or shooting of bazookas?"

"Nah. Not in the mood."

"I thought you thought you still had a chance with her."

"I love her still, that's true, but she loves you more, and I don't wanna make her cry. Besides, getting one of the strongest clans in the universe angry doesn't exactly sound good to me."

"So… Will you come?"

"Why not."

"Really?"

"Sure."

"Okita… Thanks. I know this'll mean the world to Kagura."

"She'd probably be fine if I didn't go and gave her sukonbu for a present."

"OK… I won't doubt that too much…"

"I guess I know her almost as well as you do." Okita smiled genuinely as he walked away. Gin laughed softly with one hand on his chin and waved goodbye with the other.

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"Gin, welcome home!" Kagura smiled and hugged him tight.

"Hey, baby." He put on a Casanova look.

"Baby?"

"You don't like it?"

"Kagura-chan is better~" Kagura snuggled against his chest.

"I guess so…"

"But I love you calling me just 'Kagura' the best." She nodded.

"Kagura."

"Gin."

"We're like newlyweds…" he coughed in disgust.

"What's so bad about that?! We almost are!!!" she punched him playfully.

"I'm kidding, sorry!" he laughed.

"Oh, Gin, by the way…"

"Hm?"

"You might wanna be careful."

"Why?"

"Um… Well… You know I have a sister, right?"

"Eh?" Gin asked, but before she could answer BOOM! The door burst into splinters and in came a foot on Gin's face.

"You pervert!!!" a tough girl yelled at him, her long black hair tied into a ponytail.

"Ah, Kaede, welcome." Kagura said calmly, as if it happened every day.

"Kagura…" Gin pulled the girl's foot out of his face, "Could you continue what you were saying?"

"Oh. Right. I have a sister who's coming here. She's part of the Yato clan like me, and her name's Kaede. By the way, she's pretty violent."

"Something like you?!" he yelled.

"Ah! Gin, you can see the resemblance?!" Kagura smiled happily. Gin slapped his palm to his forehead.

"She looks almost exactly like you except with black hair, more serious eyes, and a deeper voice."

"Only a little deeper."

"She has bigger boobs, though."

"I'm not that small!" Kagura yelled, like she was about to cry.

"I know Kagura, I know…" Gin hugged her softly and stroked her head, "You're pretty like you are."

"Gin…" she purred like a cat.

"Do I not exist, or what?!" the girl reminded them of her presence.

"Kaede, welcome!" Kagura ran over as fast as she could to her little sister and grabbed on.

"Onee-chan…"

"Where's mom and dad?!"

"They're taking the terminal down tomorrow. Dad's preparing the wheelchair for her."

"It's gotten that bad, huh…?"

"Kagura, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing…" she smiled nervously.

"Anyway…" Kaede looked over at the groom-to-be, "I'll NEVER accept you Kagura's fiancée!!!"

"Why?"

"You're a cheap perm with a cheap door."

"This perm is real, and besides, that door was pretty common…"

"Shut up! All doors shouldn't break like that!"

"You wanna try?"

"Kaede, don't be rude to Gin." Kagura scolded her sister.

"But big sis! Can't you see he's just using you?! Just 'cause you work here, he thinks he can get all-" But before Kaede could finish, Gin pinned his fist against the wall, right next to her head.

"Listen, you can say all the crap you want about my perm, my door, or my money, I don't care. But you just insulted Kagura, saying she fell for me 'cause I'm paying her?! Your sister isn't a prostitute. I love her so much, I'd die for her. No, I'd go to the depths of hell for her. And besides, you should see our salary. Most of the time she doesn't get money."

"Why you…!!!"

"Kaede, he's kidding. We haven't even done that yet."

"Yet?! But when you get married, you'll be at his mercy!"

"Kaede." Kagura stopped her.

"…I'm just worried… Choosing a guy over your family with a mother who's dying…!" Kaede gritted her teeth.

"Kagura? What's going on?" Gin spoke softly, wanting to know what happened.

"My mother's a bit sick…" she told him.

"It's none of your business, outsider." Kaede looked at him with hateful eyes.

"Kaede!" Kagura pleaded to her sister, but Gin patted her on the back.

"I'm really sorry I don't understand. I only want to help Kagura and her family, because soon I won't be an outsider. I want to get to know her family."

"Then where's your family?!" she yelled, "Does Onee-chan know your family?!"

"…My parents died during the war against the amanto. My mom got sick when my father died in battle, and when I was 17, she died. I have no siblings."

"Ah-!" Kaede stepped back.

"I'll talk about it later with him. Kaede, do you want to stay in my room with me?"

"You're going to stay in your old room?" Gintoki exclaimed. By old room, Gin means her private room. She had stayed there for quite a while, when one night, when they had started dating…

_"Gin-chan…? Are you awake…?" Kagura whispered nervously._

_"Yeah. I am." He looked up at her. She was in her pink pajamas and her hair was down. __**Honestly, she might have more more sex appeal if she left her hair down all the time**__, Gin smirked in his head._

_"Can… I sleep in your bed with you tonight…?"_

_"Wait… What?!" he jumped up at the thought._

_"Nononono!" she blushed along with him and shook her hands, "I just… Feel lonely…" she looked down sadly, and Gin saw a teardrop fall from her eye._

_"Kagura…!" Gin knew something had happened, but he didn't want to ask. He knew it was too hard for her to reveal. He quickly hugged her tight in his arms, making her feel safe and warm._

_"I'm sorry…"_

_"About what…?" he whispered in her ear._

_"I'm troubling you…"_

_"It's fine," he smiled, "I feel more at ease when I know you're by my side." Kagura kissed him on the lips and they sunk into bed, falling asleep in each other's arms._

Surprisingly, this kind of temptation hadn't taken Gin in. They both loved each other so much that they were fine being by each other, even if it wasn't complete "together-ness".

"Fine." The girl gave up, walked out the destroyed door, and lugged her medium-sized suitcase back inside.

"Kagura, can we talk a little?" Gin asked his fiancée. She nodded and followed him into their bedroom.

"It's about my mother right?" she sighed as she sat down on the soft futon on the floor, "It's simple. My mother came to earth as one of the last Yato clansmen, and then met my father, another Yato. They married, had me and Kaede, but mother, because she had been in the Earth's sunlight too long, got a disease. It's like skin cancer, but it kills you from the inside out."

"Kagura…"

"Remember that one time when I said I was lonely? When I started to sleep in the same bed as you? That was because I called Kaede and the disease had started to take it's toll on my mom."

"I'm so sorry Kagura…" he hugged her tight to his chest.

"It's fine… But that's why Kaede's acting a bit snippy right now."

"I got it. I won't intrude."

"Sorry." She kissed him softly on the lips, and he then nuzzled her on the ear, "Why don't we go out for lunch together tomorrow?"

"Kagura, we can't, remember? We have a job for someone."

"Oh yeah. What's the job?"

"The Shinsengumi hired us to destroy the infestations in their headquarters. There are monster mud wasps in places all around there, and we need to get rid of them before they hatch."

"Ah, that's rare. The Shinsengumi hiring us for a job. Especially," Kagura pulled her knees to her chest, "Since the second battle against the Amanto is starting to boil."

"True. Although they're human, they side with the Shogunate, and that means with the Amanto."

"It's too bad. Otae Onee-sama is very sad. She's Toushirou Hijikata's girlfriend."

"Yeah."

"Let's go to bed. I'm getting depressed." Kagura walked over to the door to go into her old room, "Good night, Gin-chan."

"You sure you don't wanna stay in here?" he asked like a puppy.

"You gonna be lonely?" she giggled and kissed him once more, "It's just for a few nights. Please?"

"I know." He kissed her back, "I'll be lonely, but I'll deal." He said part-sarcasticly.

"Good night."

"Good night."


	2. Chapter 2: A Maiden’s Purity

**Chapter 2: A Maiden's Purity**

"HEY, KAEDE!!!" Kagura yelled in the morning while they were getting ready.

"Owowowowow loud!!!" Gin yowled in pain.

"Yeah, Kagura?" she popped her head around the door.

"We're destroying some monster mud wasp eggs this morning. You wanna help?"

"Oh, HELL YEAH!!!" she laughed.f

"Is your sister… All right?" he asked, scared.

"She loves to train her martial arts. She might be even stronger than me."

"Oh… Crap…"

"All right Kaede, jump on Sadaharu!" Kagura smiled as she jumped on the barking dog. Kaede nodded and tried to hop, but the dog was too big.

"Here, ready? I'll give you a leg up." Gin placed out his knee for her to use as a stepstool.

"Are you stupid?! I can get on a horse! This is…!" she tried to squirm up, but fell back down, "No…! Problem!" she fell down on the ground panting.

"Come on. Kagura sometimes has to use my leg too, even though she's tall." He put out his knee, and she hesitantly placed her foot on it. As she lifted onto the dog, it made her feel good to be supported by someone. There was someone to catch her when she fell down. There was someone to watch her.

"Thanks…" she blushed out of embarrassment and shame. Gin was an OK person, she figured that out. But OK wasn't good enough for her "goddess" of a sister, Kagura.

"Well, I'll take my bike there." He pulled the strap on his helmet snug, and kicked his leg onto the silver bike. Sadaharu started to run through the streets with Gin on his bike next to them.

"Onee-chan…" she whispered to Kagura.

"Hm? What's wrong, Kaede?"

"I'll try… To accept you and Gintoki…" she sighed.

"Thanks Kaede," Kagura smiled, "You know I still love you so much. You're my only sister. Our bond might be stronger than that towards mom and dad."

"Thanks, Onee-chan…" she hugged tighter against her back, feeling the warmth of her sister that was still the same from their childhood.

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"Wow…" Kaede gasped, "That's a lot of mud wasps…" It was true, all the wall dimensions had at least one cocoon on them, and the headquarters was pretty big. Also, the trees outside also had some.

"It's gonna take a while." Kagura sighed, "Mud wasps are dangerous and hard to remove. You have to do it just-"

"Haah!!!" Kaede smashed her fist into one. It shattered into little shards, and the wasp died as well, saving Kaede from any kind of sting.

"-right." Kagura finished her sentence.f

"The Shinsengumi's gonna help out too!" Toushi told them.

"Ah. How rare." Gin said calmly.

"IT AIN'T RARE, DUMBASS! WE ALWAYS HELP OUT!!!"

"Ah, Hijikata-san." Okita's voice said.

"What?!"

"I let a wasp escape." He said plainly, and an ugly bug chased after the vice-captain.

"Now I'll get to be vice-captain." He said calmly.

"Oh my god!" Kaede laughed at his sadist attitude. He looked over at her strange reaction. She should be freaking out or yelling, he thought.

"Well, now that I've removed the WASP from this planet, OKITA! …Who's the new girl, Gintoki?"

"Ah, she's here to visit me for my wedding. She's my sister, Kaede."

"Very nice to meet you." Kaede bowed politely.

"She's cute!" Yamazaki smiled, and all the other cadets looked at her pervertedly.

"Where's the next mud wasp?" Gin looked around and saw a few on trees outside, "Kagura, Kaede, since I'm a regular human, I think I'll work outside where there's less, but could you guys handle the inside?"

"Roger!" Kagura smiled and ran to get to work.

"Stupid Gintoki, ordering people around… Sougou!" Toushi yelled at Okita, "Be partners with Kaede and take out mud wasps in the first sector."

"You mean the showers."

"YES! YES I MEAN THE SHOWERS! NOW GET GOING!!!"

Kaede and Okita walked into the showers room, which was FILLED with mud wasps, about one on every shower. Kaede took off her sandals and went into the first shower.

"Haah!!!" she slammed her fist against the mud cocoon again, and another wasp died. Okita, on the other hand, took out his secret weapon. A bazooka. He blasted it on the wall, and the wasp died. Since the Shinsengumi knew Okita did this a lot, they had strengthened the walls so they wouldn't be damaged. Okita's sadist instincts kicked in. He wanted the girl to be hurt, but instead…

"Hahahahaha! That's so cool!!!" she laughed. He felt a twitch in his head. She wasn't annoyed?! He was pissed. He had to find a way to make her cry. Kaede kept slamming her fist against the wasps, and the died one by one. Finally, she reached the last one curled up in a bath tub.

"All right!" she smirked, "Take this!!!" she pounded her fist once, and it was gone.

"Watch out." Okita lifted up the bazooka and shot it at the bathtub.

"Kya!" she peeped as she jumped into the bath to avoid the bazooka. A ring of victory went off in his head, but before the last echo sounded from the bell…

"Hahaha! What the hell?!" she laughed, "That was so cool!" In irritation that she wouldn't get mad or cry, he turned on the water in the tub. The lukewarm liquid spilled down her skin and clothes. Down her royal tube top with Rairai Chinese swirls on the top border, soaking her Chinese Capri pants of the same color, and through her raven black hair.

"The water feels nice." She smiled and told him softly.

"Why won't you cry?" he put his hand at her chin.

"I have lots of sadist friends back home. I'm used to it."

"Oh?"

"Yup." She nodded, and Okita smirked.

"What if I steal something from you?"

"Like wh-" she was silenced by his lips muffling hers.

"Mmph…!" she pushed his lips off hers as quick as she could, "What the hell are you doing, you bastard?!" she yelled and tried punching him in the face, only to be grabbed again.

"I stole your first kiss, didn't I?" he pressed his lips against hers again, "And that's the second."

"Get off me!!!" her face went red as she punched him again.

"I found the way to annoy you~" he stuck out his tongue.

"Stealing a maidens purity isn't teasing anymore!!!"

"Purity? But…" he put his hand to her back and plucked the strap at the back of her clothes. She peeped a little at the pain of her bra strap coming back at her skin, "I haven't done THAT yet."

"YET?!" she blushed and started to freak out, "Get off!!!"

"Geez, don't kill someone. I was kidding." He chuckled.

"I don't like you!" she yelled at him.

"Oh? That's too bad," he licked his lips, "I like you very much."

"Eh?!" she blushed furiously.

"I think I'll be following you for a long time." Even though Kaede was going back to her home planet soon and she could shake him off, the thought made her shiver.

"Hey," Gin talked to Okita out on the porch, "What's up with your perverted attitude towards Kaede?"

"You saw?"

"I was passing by," he felt the wind through his hair, "Is it because she looks like Kagura?"

"She's fun to play with."

"If you're actually going to fall in love with her," Gin stood up to go to Kagura, "Then think of her as only Kaede, not someone else." Okita thought to himself about the matter, but could only think of how he wanted to tease Kaede even more.

"Let's have some lunch." Kagura smiled and put out picnic blankets for all the Shinesengumi, "I made lots of food!" Everyone, no matter if they were against the government or not, took a seat and ate.

"Ah, she's becoming more wife-like now!" Toushi laughed and took a bite of chicken.

"By the way," Kagura looked at him, "Did something happen between you and Otae? She seems depressed." Toushi put his beer down on the ground and thought to himself.

"So, Gintoki, you've gotta invite me to your wedding!" Toushi smiled at Gin.

"You won't arrest anyone, will you?"

"Who do you think I am." Toushi glared.

"If you won't, then sure, come, you're invited."

"I'll make sure to bring a present." He laughed and patted the groom-to-be on the back.

"Hey, Kaede, what's wrong?" Kagura patted her sister as she looked down.

"Oh, it's nothing." Kaede shook her hands, "I'm just a bit tired. Mr. Kondo?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind if I took a bath in that big tub? I'm a bit cold."

"O-Oh sure! Go ahead!!!" he thought his nose would explode.

"Thanks. I'll see you in a sec!"

"You wanna go take a look?" some of the Shinsengumi whispered, and many of them walked off, saying they were tired or needed to do something. Okita looked up and snuck away without anyone seeing.

"What is he doing?!" Kagura whispered to her fiancée.

"Maybe he's taking a peek?" Gin took a sip of beer, "But probably not. I think he's got something else in mind.

* * *

**Oh my God… Okita's so out of character… Oh well. How else would I make him fit? Otae and Toushi?! What are you thinking, Ameyoke?! …Lots. XD I think a lot. It's in my nature. But so… What do you guys think of Kaede? I like her. I think if she ever entered the anime… She'd be voiced by Nana Mizuki. Hands down. Speaking of which, I wish Elemental Gerad went on longer. What a great anime… Too short, though. They needed to follow the main storyline. Although the ending was cute… Sorry, off topic. AND YES, THIS CHAPTER IS CORNY!**


	3. Chapter 3: Everyone Has Their Own Way

**Chapter 3: Everyone Has Their Own Way**

_"Welcome home, Toushi." Otae, Shinpachi's sister, smiled. He came close to her and hugged her tight._

_"Otae…" he kissed her on her cheek and layed his forehead on her shoulder, "After tonight… I can't see you anymore."_

_"Oh…" she softly whispered._

_"The war is going to start soon… I need to go back to headquarters full time. I can't keep my mind on you. You may get hurt," he kissed her again, "I'm sorry."_

_"I understand." She put his arms around his neck._

_"I might die." There was a long silence between them. All they could hear was the in and out of their breathing._

_"…Hey, Toushi."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"If you do live… Will you promise to come home to me?"_

_"I swear on my life." He stroked her cheek._

_"Tonight… Will you stay with me…?"_

_"If you want me to." He put his lips to her neck, and Otae fiddled with the buttons on his coat, and then on his shirt. His hands pulled the top layer of her kimono off, and then he pulled at her bra strap. Melting in each other's arms, they went to the bed._

_"Toushi…?" Otae woke up the next morning, looking around for her lover. She was about to sit up, when she remembered she had nothing on. She put on her morning kimono, and walked over to see a note from Toushi._

_"I promise." Otae read the note, and tears dripped down her face as she started to sob and whimper._

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Toushi woke up and yawned, stretching arms out to the sky. Gin was sitting next to him with Kagura sleeping on his lap.

"You have tears on your face." Gintoki pointed at the wet streams by his eyes.

"D-Don't be stupid!!! Something just spilled on me!!!" he rubbed his eyes and sniffed his nose.

"Uh-huh. Like the rain that doesn't exist?" he said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly, "You had a dream about Otae?"

"…How did you know?"

"You wanted to separate, huh? I guess that's OK, since you can focus on the battle more. But I'm going to stay with Kagura till I have to leave. I can fight harder if I'm fighting for her. I have a place I have to return to."

"…Everyone has their own way. But if I die, I want her to forget me and marry someone else, be happy, you know?"

"I doubt she'll forget about you. Have you seen how much Otae's changed? She doesn't hide her emotions that much anymore, she isn't as violent- hell, she can even cook well now. She's trying to be the best person she can for you."

"…Are you trying to make me go on a guilt trip, or what?"

"Well, even if you can't see her, you could send her letters to see how she is."

"…I'll keep it in mind." Toushi gave in to Gintoki's advice. He had to know how she was. But no matter how much he wanted to feel her lips against his, he knew he wouldn't be able to.

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Kaede hummed as she washed off her body in the bath and felt herself warm completely up. Kaede had a beautiful body, pale, well-proportioned and slim. Suddenly, she heard footsteps towards the door.

"Who's there?!" she yelled, fearing for the worst. And she was right.

"It's just me." Okita called from outside.

"Are you peeping on me?!" she screeched.

"You should be thanking me. I just scared off all of those Shinsengumi guys who were looking at you pervertedly. They were trying to sneak a peek. I'll just stay here to make sure no one gets in."

"Yeah right!!!" she scolded.

"Fine. I'll leave." He stood up and went down the hallway. But even after he left, she still had the feeling that she was being watched.

"Who's there?!" she called out again. She heard chuckles of weird guys who weren't Okita. If she got up to scold them, then she would reveal her entire body!

"What are you lowlifes doing?" Okita asked calmly and Kaede heard the click of the bazooka, and the boom and cries of the perverts.

"Okita?" she asked after a long silence, "I'm sorry I doubted you!"

"It's fine. I'll keep watch a bit longer."

"Thank you. Really. I'll make it up to you."

"Cook."

"Huh?"

"Next time I see you, cook something good." She smiled and giggled. She hopped up, dried off her body, and put back on her clothes.

"Leave it to me!" she cutely laughed, and Okita blushed.

"Sure…" he nodded and walked off. Kaede had more faith in him now. She liked him too, but she didn't know what kind of "like" that was until later. She was still uncovering her feelings.

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"Ah, by the way Gin-chan…" Kagura yawned as she woke up with her head in his lap.

"Hm?"

"About my dad-"

"Wait, let me guess… He's a complete clonef of Kaede."

"Bingo."

"Shit." He realized he had this same kind of conversation the moment when Kaede smashed his face in.

"Haaaaah!!!" a manly voice bellowed, and before he could see who it was, another foot was in his face. _**Oh, GREAT. Two in two days. Tooth fairy, what did I ever do to you**_? Gin sighed in his mind.

"Papa!" Kagura jumped up and hugged him tight, forgetting that her husband was brutally injured.

"Kagura, how've you been?" a black-haired man who looked in his mid 30's stroked his daughter's head.

"And Mama too!" Kagura looked like she would explode with joy, even though she knew they were coming already. Gin prayed to himself, "_**Oh, PLEASE, Santa Claus, don't let her beat the crap out of me!!! She's going to be violent, isn't she?! You just hate me that much!!!**_" However, when he turned around, what he saw was different from what he imagined. It was a beautiful woman with hair like Kagura's, except long and a bit wavy. She was sitting in the wheel chair Kaede and Kagura were discussing.

"Kagura…" she said softly. Before Gin could process all of it, Kagura was crying deeply in her mother's arms.

"I'm so sorry!!!" she cried and screamed, unable to hold in her feelings, "I'm such a horrible person!!!"

"Kagura…!" Gintoki tried to calm her down, and all of the Shinsengumi just stared, "Let's go to Shinpachi's house, we can talk there."

"All right." The father nodded and pushed the mother's wheelchair. In a single glimpse, Gin saw a single teardrop fall from the woman's eyes. Gin thought he would cry too for a second, but he stroked his fiancee's hair to help her calm down.

"I'll send the pay check over to your place." Kondo told Gin as he hopped on his bike with his girlfriend. Kagura had stopped crying now, and her eyelids were starting to flutter closed.

"Thanks. Sorry."

"No, thanks for cleaning the base."

"Just asking… Isn't getting rid of mud wasps something you guys can do yourselves?" Kondo looked down and sighed.

"It is, the wasps were only a pretext."

"For what?"

"…Toushi. He seems to brighten up when you're around, his main rival. After parting with Otae, he…"

"I know."

"I shouldn't even be talking to you right now… If the Shogunate found out, man, I'd be dead," he put his hand on Gin's shoulder and patted it once, "This is goodbye. I hope we both live."

"Yeah."

"She's grown into quite the beautiful lady, hasn't she?" Kondo smiled and walked away.

"Oh, can you tell Kaede we went home? I couldn't find her."

"Oh, sure, but I think she already left."

"Thanks. I think she'll be fine." Gin turned on the engine and kicked off towards home. Sadaharu was bringing the parents home, so transportation was all right.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Eh? What are you doing?" Okita walked up to Kaede at the lake. He had gone there to get his favorite yakisoba, when he saw her with her legs soaking in the water. She was totally silent for a moment.

"I never realized… Kagura was putting on an act… Not showing her sadness for mom… It was all so Gintoki and I wouldn't worry. I was angry, I thought I was the only one suffering, the only one taking on the pain. I wanted her to suffer too… But… Seeing Onee-chan like that… I realized that she's suffering for mom more than I am… I've been with my mom and dad every day since she left, and I spent all the time with her, and now she only has 3 weeks left to be with her… I'm such a horrible person…!"

"Lots of people want someone to suffer with them. I had a rough childhood, and that's how I became a sadist. I wanted other people to suffer with me, and to see their hilarious reactions to let me laugh in my head. We all need someone to lean on in hard times." He looked at her, "I never say this, so don't make me say it again…" Okita blushed, "I-If you need someone to lean on, come to me." Kaede's eyes watered up as her face blushed a little.

"I'm sorry… Please let me hug you, just today…!" she grabbed him tight in her arms as she cried. He put one arm around her torso.

"Cry all you need to."

* * *

**YES. I SUPPORT OTAE AND TOUSHI TOGETHER. They're cute, what can I say? Both extremely violent. They had their moment in an episode where they were trying to capture an underwear thief. Oh, so precious… |3 YES, I KNOW MITSUBA EXISTS! I'M MAKING HER AN OBSTACLE LATER, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S DEAD. And I know Okita's VERY out of character. That's true. Some of the lines are awkward too… I don't really like to do lemons because people will think I'm a pervert. I get all hot and feverish. XD Honestly, I've never even had a boyfriend, so I don't know why I write these… Well, what do you think of Kaede and Okita? Pretty cute? I do think the Okita and Kagura pairing is cute, but because I'm true to my Gin and Kagura, I decided that Kagura's sister would fall in love with Okita. Ohhhh, so obvious… Okita, Toushi and Gin are my homeboys. Wow, that sounds really stupid. If I had to rank them, it'd be…**

**1. Gintoki**

**2. Okita**

**3. Toushi**

…**And Katsura's 4. I was actually thinking about having Toushi second, but I think of Okita's sadistic jokes, and I start laughing. I mean, the guy I'd go for first would be Gin, then Toushi… Probably Okita last. Well, maybe. But they're already taken (LOL, wait, why did I say LOL… I NEVER DO!), so I guess I'll have to find someone here in the real world. XD**

**ANYONE WHO READS THIS, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT! I NEED COMMENTS! I'VE BEEN WITHOUT THEM SINCE I STARTED SUBMITTING STUFF TO THE MISC. SECTION!**


	4. Chapter 4: They Can’t Be Together

**Chapter 4: They Can't Be Together**

"Kagura… You don't have to feel guilty." Kanade, Kagura's mother stroked her daughter's head at the Shimura dojo.

"But I should have spent more time with you…!"

"Let's not brood on the past. If we do, there won't be any time to enjoy the time we have now."

"Mama…" Kaede sat down at the table.

"Where'd you run off to?" Gin patted her on the back.

"…The lake. I needed to cool my head."

"Ah~ Okita's flirting was too much for you. I can understand you know. Losing your first kiss to him is-"

"WHAT?!?!" Kagura's father, Raizou yelled, "That bastard's-!"

"Raizou!" the mother raised her voice a little.

"Yes?"

"I'll talk to him later, so let's calm down, OK?"

"Um… Mama… So our wedding is in two weeks, and we need to plan…"

"Of course, I'll help you get ready. I'll make sure your wedding dress is the best."

"Mama…"

"And I'll make sure you look your best!" Raizou patted Gin.

"I've got a formal kimono…" (refer to episode 22 XD)

"We'll still make you look good!" he dragged him off.

"Kagura, Kaede… What do you think of doing our routine song for the wedding?"

"Oh, do you mean 'Another World'?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I remember!" Kaede smiled.

"We'll all sing. I'll get the karaoke track set up." Kagura high-five-d her mom and her sister.

"This will be great." Her mother laughed.

"Good, you're laughing, Mama." Kagura smiled happily.

"…Thank you, Kagura."

"Hello everyone, I've brought some tea." Otae placed the tray on the floor and sat down with them.

"Otae Onee-sama!"

"If you'd like, you all can stay here this week. We don't have much, but I've started to grow things in the garden to cook."

"Thank you very much. We'll help cook. Papa and I are going to sleep for a little while. We're tired."

"Yes, of course."

"Otae, what happened to Toushi? He seems really sad." Kagura asked as her parents left the room, and Otae dropped her cup of tea as she lifted to her lips, but Kaede caught it in her hands.

"Ow, ow, hot tea…!" Kaede shook her hands.

"I'm so sorry, here!" she took her hand with a cloth to wipe it off.

"No, I'm fine. It was only a drop or two, thank God." Kaede blew on her little burn.

"What's the point of hiding it, Otae? We're all your friends." Gin walked in and sat next to Kagura.

"…You know?" she hid her eyes.

"Yeah. I talked to Toushi."

"…I see… Yes. We separated. Toushi needed to focus on the battle and he wanted me to be happy, but…" tears dripped from her eyes, "I want to see him…! I'm so scared…!"

"Scared of what?! You never get scared!!!" Kagura talked back.

"…Kagura, Gin-san, Kaede-chan," she sighed, "What I say must not leave this room, do you understand?" The people nodded, "…I'm pregnant."

"…What…?!"

"I'm bearing Toushi's child… I'm in my second month, so I don't look like it…" she cried, "I don't want to worry Toushi and remove his mind from his work," she shook her head, "But I'm scared to give birth and raise the child alone…!"

"Sis…" Shinpachi walked in, super surprised. He had moved to a new house since Otae and Toushi had been living together there, so he had no idea, "You're pregnant…?"

"Shin-chan…!" she gasped, but then begged him, "Please don't tell Toushi!" she cried.

"How can I not?!" he yelled, "He's leaving my sister to raise his child on her own! I'm gonna beat some sense-" but before he could finish, he was punched by Kagura.

"Otae and Toushi are both suffering from the separation! They can't be together, so why should one person make it harder for the other?!" she yelled at him, tears falling from her eyes, "Someday… Gin-chan will go too…!" she choked on her words and ran out the door.

"Kagura!" Gin chased after her.

"…Shin-chan… Please…" Otae fell on the ground and cried, her fists curled as tears dripped on them.

"…I got it…" he wiped away the blood from his mouth.

"Kagura." Gin walked up to Kagura crying. She lay on an empty bed, sobbing into her pillow.

"Gin…! I don't want you to leave…!"

"I know…" he pulled her into her lap and hugged her tight to his chest, "But the amanto have been taking even worse measures. Their forces are going to be weak in a few years."

"Even so, I thought you said you said you wouldn't fight back!"

"That was when we couldn't win." He kissed her on the forehead, "But now we can."

"Don't leave me…!" she sobbed.

"I'll still be here for a few years. And I'll definitely come back to you."

"Gin…!" she sniffled in his arms.

"I'm sorry… It's something I have to do. To protect you, all our friends, and our future."

"I know…"

"Thank you." He kissed her softly on the lips.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We're almost ready!" Kaede clapped her hands at dinner. They ate their ramen at the table with the entire family, and the Shimura family as well.

"Yes." Kagura smiled. It had been 2 weeks since the proposal. The wedding was tomorrow. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was nice enough for the young couple. In the past 2 weeks, Kagura had spent quality time with her family, and she was happy. Suddenly, there was a small click as the clock struck 9:00.

"I've gotta go do something." Kaede stood up and bowed, "Thank you for the food."

"When will you be back?" her mother asked.

"I'll be out for about 10 minutes." Kaede tapped on her shoes.

"All right."

"By the way, Kagura… I don't think I can go to your wedding." Otae said sadly.

"Huh? Why?"

"I've been feeling very nauseous… It's because the baby is progressing, and so…"

"All right. We're getting it video taped anyway, all thanks to Katsura."

Otae nodded, but that wasn't her true motive. She didn't NOT feel sick, but the main reason she wouldn't go was because she knew Toushi would be there. She didn't want to hurt him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Kaede ran outside and saw him waiting there again, as he had for the past two weeks.

"It's good to see you." She smiled.

"This is such a hassle…" Okita held his hand to his hair.

"If my dad saw you with me, all hell would run loose."

"But we're not going out or anything."

"Oh really?" she laughed. But then her face softened down, "You know, Okita-kun… I'm going home soon… And I won't be ever coming back." There was a long silence between them.

"…It was nice knowing you."

"Eh…?"

"It can't be helped, can it? I mean-"he received a slap in the face.

"You big dope…!" tears dripped from her eyes and she walked away.

"Ow…" he rubbed his cheek. He was lucky. If she hadn't held back, his entire jaw could be gone.

"So… You're Okita-kun?" a woman's voice spoke as Okita was about to leave.

"…Who are you?"

"My name is Kanade. I am Kaede and Kagura's mother."

"Oh. Hi."

"Thank you for being friends with my daughter."

"Friends? We're not-"

"She was really happy to have someone to talk to." Kanade told him, "But that wasn't very smooth of you. Don't you know what a girl wants you to say is 'Don't go'?

"I'm not stupid," he flicked his head away, "But if we're never going to meet again, what's the point?"

"There's plenty of point." She smiled, "As long as you have hope, there's a chance you'll meet again. Especially if you care for one another."

"…Kanade-san-"

"Kanade!" Raizou called out, "Where are you?!"

"Oh dear, I've got to go." She giggled and manuveured her wheelchair back inside. Okita put his palm to his forehead.

"I'm know I'm stupid… But what can I do…?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"Gin… Tomorrow's finally the day." Kagura hugged him. She decided to sleep in his bed again for the night before they married.

"Yeah." He kissed her, "So… Do you… Want to do that…?"

"Gin, you pervert." She said calmly.

"Well… I just have so many feelings for you… It's hard to keep them in." he arched over her. Tonight, Kagura was wearing a long white blouse as nightwear, her hair was down.

"But someone could come and see us…" she turned away.

"Tomorrow, then?" he kissed her, "In Yorozuya."

"Then the old hag will hear us."

"Tch, foiled again."

"Pervert." She kissed him, "Just a little longer."

"I got it. Sorry." He lay next to her with one arm around her breast bone.

"Sleep well." She smiled and stroked his hair.


	5. Chapter 5: I Trust You

**Chapter 5: I Trust You**

"Now, let us begin the ceremony." An old man stood at the sakura tree. The couple truly looked beautiful. Kagura was in a red and white chinese styled goddess dress. Her hair was snapped back with a butterfly hairclip. Gin was in his wedding kimono, "Make your vows, and seal the bond with a kiss."

"Kagura," Gin looked at her, speaking even without a script, "For the past 3 years, we've been through a lot. Our meeting wasn't exactly elegant, but over the time, I started to fall in love with you. I knew I wanted to be with you. One day, I had the courage to ask you out. I asked, 'Kagura, I love you. Let's go getf some ramen.' My hands were shaking. You replied, 'I love you too. Let's go get some ramen.' and laughed. We realized that we were both too shy to ask each other, and a common moment like that was enough. We've been going out for an entire year, and I know you're the girl I want to be with forever. I love you Kagura."

"Gin…" Kagura rubbed at her eyes and said her speech, "The person who took me in when I was lost on earth, you were like a father to me, but then I found myself slowly falling in love with you. All the adventures we had, they were dangerous, but so much fun at the same time. I always risked my life to protect you from the people who wished to hurt you. I never wanted to see you leave. I want to be with you forever, Gin. I love you." The couple, who had been just friends, then lovers, finished those histories in one kiss. They were now husband and wife. Everyone clapped, their cheers made the couple blush and smile.

"Let's sing!" Kagura laughed as she held her husband's hand, running to the stage, "Wait here, Gin. I'm going to sing with my mother and sister for a celebration."

"You can sing?" he chuckled. She conked him over the head.

"Of course I can!" All three of them took their places, but then her mother did something unexpected.

"Mama!!!" Kagura called as Kanade rose to her feet out of her wheelchair. She took her violin and bow to begin, but she went to the microphone.

"Everyone, I thank you for coming to my daughter's wedding. I am truly grateful." Today, Kanade bowed in a beautiful frilly sun dress with a white straw hat, "I used to be a rough yato clansmen who could think of nothing but killing. I admit my sins. However, my father, who had given up his ways, changed me with one item. This violin, which he so loved to play. Since then, I replaced my violence with violin. Because of my change in behavior, I was able to meet my husband when performing on earth, have 2 wonderful daughters, and now have an amazing son-in-law. Sadly, I will not be able to live for much longer. I may die today. I feel it. But I want to sing one last song with my daughters."

"Mama…!" Kagura sobbed with Kaede.

"Some last things… Okita-kun." Everyone turned around to the spoken, "You'd better hurry, or else the maple leaf will escape your hand's reach." Lots of people didn't understand, but Okita and Kaede did. They blushed, "Raizou, I love you, and I was fortunante to marry a good man, like my eldest daughter is today. Gintoki, I trust you with Kagura, my lovely daughter who I gave birth to." She took up her violin as her daughters wiped away their tears.

"Our song, 'Another World'." Kagura told everyone.

_**Tones of thoughts are running through my head.**_

_**Where should I start talking from?**_

_**You used to be my best friend,**_

_**But now it seems we can't get back to that.**_

_**Climbing up the steep road to my house,**_

_**Looking at the golden world, with you.**_

_**Smashed up pieces of my dreams of you, let me gather them together,**_

_**Close to me, close to you, I want to be beside you.**_

_**I won't let this end, another world is beginning.**_

Before the song ended, Raizou took his wife and hugged her from behind. Applause roared, but in between the praise, Kagura, Kaede, and even Raizou cried. Gin hugged his wife. He knew what had happened. Kagura and Kaede's dear mother, Raizou's wife… Kanade… Was 37 years old. And she died in Raizou's arms peacefully.

"Here, Kanade wanted to give this to you." Raizou passed Kagura the keys the next day.

"What are these the keys to?"

"Your new house. Sorry, it's a bit cheap, but Kanade wanted you to have it no matter what."

"Mama… Papa… Thank you."

"Are you sure you don't wanna come home?" he patted his daughter.

"I have a new life here, Papa."

"I know. It's just… I only have one daughter left…" she saw a tear fall from his eye.

"Papa…"

"Kaede!" he rubbed it off, "We're going now!"

"…Yes, Papa…" she nodded softly and held her bag in her hands.

"Come on, let's go." He brought his daughter outside.

"Goodbye Kaede…" Kagura hugged her sister.

"Yeah…" she looked over to Gintoki. Kaede ran over to him and hugged him.

"Ah…!?"

"Take good care of my sister, OK?" He nodded.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Okita?"

"Oh, I think he has work today…" she laughed it off, "See you!"

"Kaede…" Kagura sighed.

"Don't worry." Gin patted her on the head, "I think he'll know what to do."

"…Let's go, Kaede. We'll see mom back home at the graveyard." He mumbled to her at the Terminal.

"…Mm." she nodded. But from the corner of her hearing, she heard thumping footsteps, desperate ones.

"Kaede…!" Okita still kept his cool a little and panted. How far did he run???

"Okita-kun!" she was surprised.

"You're a great excuse for getting out of work." He smirked.

"Is that it? Well, I'll be leaving." She turned around, but no sooner had she done that, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into a full-blown hug.

"Don't go. Who the hell am I going to fight with if you leave…?" he tightened his grip.

"Okita-kun…!" tears fell from her eyes.

"Do you want to stay, Kaede…?" Raizou walked up to them.

"…Papa… I know you're afraid of me becoming like Mama… Feeling the rays of the human sun and dying. But I want to stay here! Papa…!"

"…I thought so." He scratched his head.

"Eh?"

"I lied when I said Mama's home. She's been buried in the flower field where we met on Earth. I knew you'd fall in love with Earth so much, you wouldn't want to come back, just like Kagura. Before we left, Kanade and I decided to sell the apartment and buy two new houses here with money Kanade earned in the last year by performing her music."

"Papa…!"

"I'll be living at one of the houses, and the other was for Gin and Kagura. Come live with me, Kaede."

"I will, Papa…!" she nodded. Okita held her tight, not showing much emotion, but on the inside, he was so relieved.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Gin…" Kagura came into the room at night, her body wet from her bath, "Let's do it tonight."

"Kagura…?"

"I want you to hold me…" she lay by him, "Please…"

"Kagura…" He knew she was hurting. Her heart was hurt from her mother's death. Gin once again arched over her and started to kiss her passionantely. This wasn't like their usual kiss. Their tongues danced with each other as Gin pulled off his shirt, and Kagura pulling off hers. They embraced, feeling the sheets in between their legs. Kagura made slightly painful cries here and there, and he stroked her face.

"Sorry…" he told her, "It's harder for the girl than the guy, huh…?"

"A little, but… I'm fine." She pulled him down again, he licked her ear. Kagura felt like she was melting, melting into him. After, they both panted, and she turned over to him.

"Thank you, Gin…"

"Kagura…" he held her bare body in his arms, "I love you."

"…What's wrong?" Kagura said to a silent Gin, seeing his face was different than it was a few moments earlier.

"…Kagura. There's a training for troops that's going to last for a few months. I need to go." He kissed her, "I can't bring you with me. If the young guys knew there was an amanto…"

"…All right." She nodded, "You've got to do it, right? I have Sadaharu here. It's fine." She smiled.

"Thank you." He hugged her tight.


	6. Chapter 6: Our Child

**Chapter 6: Our Child**

Well, a few months passes very quickly, as some of you know. And for Kagura and Gin, those 6 months were no exception. Gin ran through the Edo streets, wanting to see his wife as soon as possible. He was wearing almost exactly what he had worn when he had left. He imagined her with each tap of his foot. She would be beautiful, slim, graceful, petting Sadaharu…

"I'm home!" he yelled into their home. There was a girl sitting on a counter, but… SHE WAS NOT SLIM AT ALL. She was quite plump, in fact.

"Welcome home Gin!" she smiled. Her hair was down, her bun hairclips only there now for decoration.

"K…" he couldn't finish his sentence.

"I'm pregnant!" she smiled, as if nothing was wrong, as if announcing that night's dinner. His eyes went into the shapes of golf balls, and his mouth fell.

"Pregnant…?" he laughed nervously.

"Mm hmm!" she nodded joyfully.

"So…" he sat down, "You're saying… You didn't munch too much on snacks… And this big thing…" he pointed to her stomach, "Is… Our child, conceived…"

"When we had sex!" she peeped like it was nothing.

"Obviously!!!" he yelled at her, his face blushing up a storm.

"Are you angry…?" she put her finger to her lip.

"Of course I'm not, Kagura…!" he hugged her tight, "I just wish I could have been here sooner."

"It's all right." She shook her head.

"The kid's really coming along, isn't he?"

"Or she."

"You get my point."

"Mm."

"Have you been eating well?" Gin stroked her hair.

"Yeah." She looked up to him, "Welcome home, Gin."

"I'm home… Kagura."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ms. Otae?!" a girl in a kimono cried as the woman fell to the ground. She shattered the dishes as she collapsed.

"Ms. Otae, you need to take some time off. You're pregnant, for god's sakes." Her boss told her in his office, "We'll pay for you a for a little while, so don't worry."

"Thank you, and I'm sorry." She bowed, "Oh, and… Toushi comes here often… When I'm not here, right?"

"Mr. Hijikata? Yes, he's quite popular with the ladies…"

"Please…" she begged, "Don't tell him I'm pregnant. Just say I'm sick."

"Very sick?"

"Fine, just…" she looked down, "Don't make him worry too much."

"I see, you have your own reasons." He nodded, "Leave it to me."

Otae left the building, her stomach throbbing. Any day now, she would go into labor. But she knew very well that Toushi wouldn't be there.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"Ah, welcome!" the boss of the restraunt smiled as two men entered. It was Okita and Toushirou.

"Ah, crud, I just realized, I shouldn't be here right now, it's Ota-" he stopped, and realized Otae wasn't around, "Where's Otae?"

"Oh, she's taking time off. She's very sick, you see."

"Otae…!" he gritted his teeth.

"That woman, Otae…" Okita looked at him, "She looks a lot like Mitsuba, doesn't she?"

"Sougou…!"

"Let me guess… That's why you fell in love with her, right?"

"Shut up!" he reached for the kid, but missed as Okita swiftly walked out the door.

"Ah, so what'll it be?" the man asked.

"…Oh, right, just some soba…" Toushi took a puff at his cigarette.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Come in." Otae sat up in her bed as she heard a knock on the door.

"Yo." Okita walked in with a tangerine, "Apparently, you're sick."

"Oh, a little…"

"Uh-huh. You're pregnant, aren't you?"

"H-How-?!"

"I can see your stomach."

"Oh…" she chuckled at her ignorance, "Please don't tell Toushi."

"I got it." He nodded, "But there's something… I should tell you."

"What is it?"

"I had a sister who died a few years ago… Her name was Mitsuba, and… She was in love with Hijikata-san."

"Oh…"

"And also…" Okita put his eyes down, "He was in love with her, but knew he couldn't make her happy."

"I… See…"

"Here's a picture of her." He passed over a photograph of the woman, and Otae gasped. Mitsuba… Looked exactly like herself. Tears dripped from her eyes as she realized a question. Did he love Otae Shimura…? Or Mitsuba Sougou…?

"I'm sorry… I just thought you'd want to know."

"It's fine, don't worry." She shook her head, "I needed to know."

"I hope the baby comes along well." Okita stood up, but then remembered, "Oh, here's a tangerine. It'll be good for you."

"Thank you." She took it softly as he left, "Toushi…!" she cried when he was gone, "I'm scared…! I need you…!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*"Huh~?" Kagura fell to the ground.

"Kagura!!!" Gin ran up to her, "Are you OK?!"

"My insides hurt… And not where the baby is…!"

"What?!" he looked at her. He thought about what could have happened to her. Then he realized. "Kagura, I'm going to call the doctor."

About 30 minutes later, a sexy woman doctor arrived.

"Kagura-chan~! How is your baby coming along?"

"Doctor Mitsuki." Kagura smiled.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Something's wrong with her, and I'm worried she may have…" he swallowed, "The same thing as her mother.

"Kazumi, huh…?" Mitsuki sighed, "I was really good friends with her, you know. I always warned her, but…"

"Doctor Mitsuki…"

"Sorry, this is depressing." She started to pull off Kagura's shirt, "Hey hey, Gintoki-kun. You may be her husband, but honestly, could you leave for a while?"

"Y-Yeah." He ran out.

"Let me take a sample." She rubbed a cloth on her skin, "You need the best skin on your back."

"I see."

"Here we are, now we connect it to the computer…" she put a measuring device to the cotton swab.

"…Shit…!" she clenched her fist and punched the wall, "GIN! Come in now!" she called.

"Yeah, I'm here." He leaned against the wall.

"…You were right, Gintoki."

"…Damn it."

"She's sucked up too much sun, and now…!" Mitsuki punched the wall again.

"What should we do…?" she asked the doctor.

"There's no cure yet." Mitsuki rubbed her hand on her forehead, "Honestly, Kagura, if you want to live longer, I suggest you abort your child."

"What?!" Kagura jumped up, and Gin stopped her from moving too much.

"I know it's hard, but Kagura, there's a 90% chance of you dying during childbirth!"

"90…"

"I won't give up my child!!!" she yelled.

"Kagura-chan…!"

"It's Gin's and my precious child, there's no way I'm going to kill it!"

"I agree." He nodded, "After all, this is what Kagura decided. This is Kagura's choice, and I'll stand behind her all the way."

"…I got it." She nodded, "I'll stand behind you too." She took her bag.

"We'll tell you when the baby comes!" Kagura called after her.

"Of course!" she yelled back.

"Kagura… I'll always stand by you." He hugged her from behind.

"Thank you… Gin." She tightened her grip, afraid she wouldn't be able to hold on to him for much longer.


	7. Chapter 7: The One Who Knocked Her Up

**Chapter 7: The One Who Knocked Her Up**

"Sis, I'm here." Shinpachi walked in to the dojo. However, his eyes widened at what he saw.

"Sis!!!" he yelled when he saw her trying to crawl on the floor, water flowing all over the floor.

"It's time…!" she whispered in pain, grasping her stomach.

"I'll call the doctor!!!" he yelled to her, running to the Sakata household, where they had a phone.

"Gin-san!!! Open the door!!!" Shinpachi pounded.

"What is it, Shinpachi…?" Gin yawned and stretched, wearing his usual green pajamas. Kagura came behind him with her hair down, and she wore a pink and white striped tshirt, with royal blue sleep shorts.

"My sister is going in to labor!!! Please, let me use the phone!!!"

"Ah…!" Kagura gasped.

"Come on, quick!!!" Gin pushed him in. He looked at his wife as Shinpachi dialed the phone. She knew exactly what he meant. They had to talk. They both walked into their private bedroom and spoke softly.

"Kagura, you know it's against samurai code to lie, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry. I have to." He kissed her.

"Let me go with you!" she pleaded, but then held her body, feeling intense pain again.

"You need to stay here and rest, OK?" he helped her into bed.

"…Make sure everything goes well." She said bluntly.

"I got it." He kissed her once again and jogged down the stairs of his house to his bike, where he quickly kicked it off. He had to convey the message.

"Hijikata!!!" Gintoki yelled into the bar where he was smoking. He looked up, surprised a bit because of his urgency.

"What is it, Gintoki?" he said unenthusiasticly.

"Otae is in labor!" Toushi just sat there, his eyes shocked, frightened. He barked back at him.

"Don't joke like that!!!"

"You think I'm kidding?!" he yelled, "YOU'RE the one who knocked her up!!! You can't even pay attention to how the one you love is doing?!"

"Why you…!!!" he gritted his teeth, "Don't you lie with that shit!!!"

"Mr. Sakata!!!" a woman's voice called. It was Mitsuki's assistant, Akari.

"What is it?"

"This is really bad…!" she said with tears on her face, "Otae has been so depressed and scared, that she didn't eat enough…!!! She has a high rate of dying in childbirth…!!!"

"God dammit!" he reached out his hand, "What are you waiting for?! Let's go!"

"…I can't."

"…What…?!"

"I want her to be happy, and me going…!" he was interupted by a punch from Gintoki.

"Otae is scared because you're not around!!! She made us swear not to tell you because she wanted YOU to be happy, but we broke the promise!!! She might make it if you're there to encourage her!!!" Hijikata looked down for a moment, silent. But out he ran. He ran, ran all the way to the dojo, where his loved one was waiting.


	8. Chapter 8: Run Back to Her

**Chapter 8: Run Back to Her**

"Toushi…!" Otae called out his name in labor, lifting her hand up, as if to reach him. And she did.

"Otae!!!" Toushi barged in, ignoring the nurses telling him not to enter.

"Toushi…?!" she looked at him. They stood there, breathless for a moment, but…

"YOU IDIOT!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE PREGNANT?!" he yelled at her.

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT!!! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WANTED TO SEPARATE!!!" she yelled back perfectly fine, even in labor.

"Wow… Amazingly, this is helping the baby come. Please, continue fighting. Let it AAAALL out." Mitsuki nodded, very truthfully.

"IT'S OUR CHILD, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO TAKE ON THE BURDEN ALONE!!!"

"YOU NEEDED TO FOCUS ON YOUR WORK!!!"

"YOU'RE HOLDING OUR F**KING KID AND DYING, FOR GOD'S SAKES!!! I THINK THIS IS PRETTY URGENT!!!"

"YOU'RE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT ME BECAUSE I LOOK LIKE MITSUBA!!!" she screamed.

"…Otae…?"

"I know…! You're in love with her, not me…! I look exactly like her, so…!" the woman sobbed.

"…Otae. You're right. I did love her, but after she died, I loved her for what she had done with me. I knew she was dead. I met you later at your restaurant, and I started to feel attracted to you because of you. Sure, you do look a little like her, but I love Otae Shimura now even more than I did Mitsuba Okita!!!"

"Toushi…!" she cried, happy that she was something important to him.

"Almost there, Otae!!! Keep it coming!!!" Mitsuki urged her.

"Come on, Otae!!! We'll make it through this together!!!" he squeezed her hand. She screamed, and soft murmurs were heard. The baby was so lazy he didn't even feel like crying!

"Congratulations, Otae-san. You've given birth to a beautiful baby boy."

"A boy…!" she smiled as Mitsuki took the baby to a nurse for washing. She came back to talk,

"Hijikata-san, she's still in critical condition. You'll need to administer emergency medicine to her, once every day, along with good meals and emotional support."

"Every day, OK." He nodded.

"But Toushi, your job-" she whispered.

"If I have to, I'll quit. You're the most important thing in my life. I can't leave you behind." He tightened his grip around her again.

"Toushi…"

"I'll prepare a meal right away. She needs to eat, soon." Mitsuki stood up and went to the kitchen with some cooking ingredients, taken along in case of starvation emergencies. "In the mean time, try and give her this." She tossed him a bottle of purple liquid.

"All right." He nodded and took out the eye dropper. He took a few drops and slipped it into her mouth, panting from stress on the body. But she couldn't swallow it. She coughed and coughed, the liquid wouldn't go down. "…I'll do it like this." Toushirou squeezed an entire dropper full into his mouth, then leaned over and kissed her on the lips, his beautiful brown hair drooping over her forehead. With this kind of encouragement, she swallowed it down. Who wouldn't? After all, their lips hadn't touched each other in almost a year. Their eyes hadn't looked at each other, either. His head rose, and the two looked at each other deeply.

"…Every day, every day I wanted to see you…!" Toushi hugged her, her body lying in the bed. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking her fingers through his hair.

"I was so scared Toushi…! I missed you so much…!" she sobbed, happy that she had lived, and happy that she was in Toushi's arms.

"Here, your baby." Mitsuki brought the boy in a little bundle.

"He's so beautiful…" she cried softly and took him into her arms.

"You did well, Otae. He's amazing."

"He has your eyes." She giggled.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"He has my hair, I think." She smiled.

"And your mouth."

"What should his name be?" he smiled.

"Well…" she looked into his eyes, "We should use hiragana from our name."

"TA-E SHI-MU-RA."

"TOU-SHI-RO-U HI-JI-KA-TA."

"How about…" she put her finger to her lip, "Shirou?"

"I dunno… It doesn't sound strong enough…"

"What do you have in mind?"

"…Himura?"

"Mm-mm… How about…" she smiled, "Takarou?"

"Takarou…"

"Is it good?" she looked up to him.

"…Yeah. It's perfect for him."

"So… His name is Takarou Hijikata."

"Otae…" he smiled to his girlfriend, "I know this is sudden, but…" Toushi took her hand, " I want to be with you forever…Will you marry me, Otae Shimura?" She looked at him silently, pleasantly surprised. That entire year of suffering seemed like nothing now.

"…Yes!" she whispered and hugged him, "Once I get better, of course…!"

"So Toushi… You're getting married." Kondo arrived from behind. Kondo had been in love with Otae even longer than Toushirou, and took it pretty hard when the couple started going out. But because she was happy, he didn't start a fight or anything.

"Kondo-san…"

"Didn't you say you were going to separate?"

"…I did, but… I can't leave the one I love- Not to mention my son… Alone. I won't let Otae raise our kid on her own."

"Toushi…" she held his hand.

"I don't care if I have to quit… I'm sorry." He bowed.

"…You fool." He smirked, "I knew you'd run back to her."

"Kondo-san…?"

"You can visit her two weeks of the month. When you two are apart, you start to wilt. You need to be together a lot." He turned away to leave.

"…Thank you!"

"No problem. Take good care of them, you hear?"

"Yes sir."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Gin, Gin, how did it go?!" Kagura leaped up, even though her body was tired.

"He made it in time. He's there with Otae. Apparently," Gin took off his helmet, "They had a baby boy."

"Wow!" She smiled. "I wonder what our baby will be…"

"Well, the boy Takarou has Hijikata's eyes, and Otae's hair and mouth."

"Sounds cute."

"Speaking of which… Your hair color came from your mom's side, right?"

"Mm. And Kaede's came from my dad."

"How is Kaede doing, anyway?"

"Well…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, Okita!" Kaede ran up to Okita at HQ.

"Ah, yo Kaede." He smiled.

"Have you ever seen Okita act like that?" Yamazaki asked one of his friends.

"Nah. Never." One shook their head.

"You think those two are an item?"

"Maybe." Yamazaki nodded and picked up his badminton racket.

"Okita, here." She thrust a box covered in a bandana to him.

"What's this?" he opened the box, when his eyes went wide, seeing what was in it. It was a beautiful bento with tons of things in it. It was designed so beautifully, he couldn't tell Kaede made it.

"I worked really hard and messed up a lot, so…" she swifted her head away, "Enjoy."

"Come eat it with me."

"Eh?"

"Well, I guess we'll take a bite too~" the perverted cadets reached for one of her sushi.

"TOUCH IT AND DIE." He glared furiously at them, and they whimpered off, "Let's eat under that tree, FAR AWAY from headquarters." He snapped back into character.

"Is it good?" Kaede smiled to him, taking a bite.

"You're eating it too."

"I know, but…" she blushed, "It was made for you, so… I want to know how you think."

"…All right." He told her, "I'll tell you. Just close your eyes."

"Like this?" her eyelashes flittered closed. She looked beautiful.

"Yeah." He looked at her, coming closer to her face. He softly placed his lips to hers, and her eyes flashed open, but then she closed them again. He gently held his hands around her arms, then hugged her.

"Okita-kun…" she sighed blushing, hiding her eyes away. He lifted her chin with his hand, and kissed her again. It wasn't intense, it was just fluffy and sweet, "Do you love me…?" she asked.

"…If I said yes, what would you say?"

"I'd say that I love you too." Okita hugged Kaede softly to his chest, wrapping his arms around her, "You love me more than Kagura, right?"

"I do."

"And you don't see me as her, right?"

"I don't."

"Then it's OK for me to love you, right…?"

"It is." He took his hand and stroked her hair, and their lips reached each other again.

I HAVE AN OBSESSION WITH FLUFF. IT'S LIKE HEROIN. XD By the way, someone reviewed that the Shinsengumi was so perverted. YES. YES THEY ARE. They're guys always separated from girls, so I wouldn't be surprised. And by the way, the ones who were peeping were the older ones, not Yamazaki. Wow, I suck at saying this beforehand. Oh, and by the way… There's going to be two babies in a row. SOOOO REPETITIVE. But you know, Kagura got pregnant like, 3 months after Otae, so she's going to have her baby soon after. Enough explanations! I even had to ask my mom how long it takes in pregnany (it's 8 months)!


	9. Chapter 9: My Dear Baby

**Chapter 9: My Dear Baby**

"Toushi, welcome home." Otae called a few months later. She was wearing a white sun dress and she had the baby in her bundle. He smiled.

"I'm home." He kissed her.

"I missed you. Even two weeks is hard, you know?"

"I know, but it's just until the war is over."

"How long is the war going to go on…?"

"The real battle is going to start in about two years or so," he told her, "But we still have other things to attend to."

"All right… But Takarou wants you around too." She showed the baby, who looked dully at the father. Toushirou picked up his son into his arms.

"Yo, how you doin'?" he kissed his son's forehead, and the baby punched him on the nose. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!?!" he exclaimed.

"He must be angry because you're only around half the time." Otae giggled and took the baby back.

"I miss you guys a lot too." She looked at him and giggled.

"Oh dear, am I getting jealous of my own child?" she giggled, "After all, I want to be the only one Toushirou looks at."

"Don't worry. You're my only woman." He kissed her again.

"Come sit down. You're tired, aren't you?" She put the baby in his cradle and sat down on the porch. Otae lifted the coat off of him and put it aside. He layed down and put his head down on her lap.

"You can't imagine how much I wanted this…" he sighed.

"I know darling, I know."

"Darling?"

"Is it bad?"

"I mean, no, but… I like just Toushi better."

"Not honey?"

"Nah."

"Sweetie?"

"No."

"Jackass?"

"Huh… Wait, what?!?!"

"Haha, Toushi…" Otae giggled and stroked his hair, "I'm just kidding."

"…Have you been doing OK with the salary I've been sending back?"

"Yes. It's wonderful, I have enough money to get him quality ingredients for his food, and save up some money for later."

"I'm glad…" he said softly, and he started to doze off.

"Sleep well, Toushi." She smiled and put her lips near his ear, "Tonight, let's use up that energy."

"…Pervert."

"We'll use the bath."

"Does that change the fact that you're perverted?"

"Come on, you were planning to do it too, right?" He blushed furiously.

"Well, maybe a little… But wouldn't that be me using you?"

"I like it too," she smirked, "So both of us benefit. We like being in each other's arms. We like feeling our bodies against each other. Is that so bad?"

"I guess not…" he kissed her hand and started to fall asleep again. She sung a song to him to help him.

_**If I will be reflected in your eyes**_

_**I wonder, what color do you think I'd be?**_

_**If you wish for me to be a red**_

_**Then I shall become light of the sun.**_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Apparently, Otae has been training to become a nurse." Kagura told her husband.

"Yeah. She was so inspired by Dr. Mitsuki, she decided to give it a try."

"Why don't you get inspired and get a good job?"

"Ouch, that hurts…" he told her.

"Hey… You know what? We don't fight as much as we used to."

"Think so?"

"Yeah. We get along a lot better."

"Well, I would hope so." He sat down next to her, "We ARE husband and wife, after all."

"Hey, can you go out and get me some sukonbu?" she asked, "I'm hungry. The baby is asking for food."

"You're getting another eating frenzy, huh?" he stood up and walked to the door, "All right, I'll be back in a little bit. Take care, OK?" Gintoki jumped on his scooter and drove off.

For a while, Kagura was fine. She looked through a Shonen Jump, reading some different manga. Then, she felt a jolt in her stomach. It was different than usual. She gritted her teeth, trying to forget the pain she felt. She timed the contractions, and they were right on the mark. Kagura was going into labor. She dragged herself over to the phone, so in pain. This couldn't be what a regular labor felt like… Her strength was being drained. Then she realized. It was just as the doctor said. The disease would kill her when she gave birth. Her hands shook as she picked up the phone, and dialed the number. The phone rang on the other end. Otae was breast-feeding Takarou, and she couldn't move.

"Toushi! Would you please answer the phone?" she called to him as he got out of the shower. He came out, his dog tag around his neck, and he shuffled a towel through his hair, he only had his black pants on. "Oh come on, Toushi, weren't we going to use the bath tonight, you didn't need to use the shower."

"I know, but I wanted to be clean. Maybe my son won't hate me as much." Otae laughed as he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Please… Get Otae…" Kagura panted.

"Kagura? Is that you?"

"JUST PUT OTAE ON THE PHONE!" she yelled.

"A-All right. Tae? It's Kagura. She doesn't sound well."

"Ah…! Shit, she must be in labor!" Otae took the phone, "Kagura! Kagura, listen to me. I'll be right there. Just wait for a few moments, all right? Don't give up on me!" she yelled and hung up the phone, "Toushi! Can you drive me to Kagura's?"

"You got it." He ran off to get his shirt on. Otae grabbed her doctor's bag and put Takarou in his cradle.

"All right, Takarou. Be good, Mama will only be gone for a little while. I'll get someone over here to feed you a little later, just be good, all right?" She kissed him on the head and ran away. "Do you have the keys?"

"Yeah, let's go!" he hopped in their car, ducking into it. Otae went in on the other side.

"Toushi, your cellphone please." She asked him as they started to drive. She punched in a phone number.

"Hello?" a man's voice asked.

"Okita-kun, is Kaede-chan with you?"

"Yeah. She's here." He looked at the girl sleeping on his shoulder, "You need something?"

"Kagura is having her baby right now. We need her at Kagura's house, as fast as you can. Please come with her."

"All right." He snapped his cellphone closed and tried to wake her up, but she continued to sleep. He put his lips near her ear.

"I wanna make love to you." He whispered. Her face went red in her sleep, and she could feel steam. She jumped up screaming. Apparently it had done something to her dreams.

"D-D-D-D-D-Did you just say that in my ear…?!"

"I had to wake you up somehow." He smirked, proud of his wake-up success.

"DID YOU HAVE TO DO IT LIKE THAT?!" she screeched, and he stopped her.

"Kagura is going into labor." He told her.

"No way…!" Kaede covered her mouth as tears dripped from her eyes. She knew what Dr. Mitsuki had said. About how there was a 90 percent chance that Kagura would die during childbirth.

"Let' drive." He took the keys out of his pocket and held her hand. They walked in silence, hand-in-hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Huh…? Why are there Shinsengumi cars outside my house?" Gintoki walked to his door with the plastic bag of sukonbu in his hand. When he opened the door, he heard his wife's screams.

"Kagura!!!" he called and ran to her room, dropping the bag on the floor. There she was on her bed, Otae sitting on the floor, trying to ease her through the birthing process. He saw she was in so much pain.

"Tae, she's having a harder time than even you. What's-"

"It's her disease." Otae interupted, "She's losing energy rapidly. At this rate, she won't survive." Sobs were heard behind the door. They were Kaede's as she cried into Okita's arm. Gin walked calmly over to his wife, who was screaming uncontrollably. He sat down next to her and rubbed her forehead.

"Hey, come on Kagura. If you're the universe's strongest race, can't you beat a stupid disease?" he laughed, and her cries softened. She tried to hold them in, listening to his words, "Why do you think, I, the silver demon Gintoki, chose you as my wife?" She opened her eyes, expecting him to look, calm, high, and mighty, but what she saw was different.

"Come on, Kagura… Don't leave me here." Gin tried to smile as tears dripped from his eyes and fell onto her neck.

"Gin… I won't lose from something like this…!" she smirked confidently, held his hand, and pushed as hard as she could. With one last battle cry, another cry was heard. It was the cry of a little baby.

"Kagura, you did it. It's a girl." Otae took the baby from her, "Kaede-chan!" Otae called to the other room. She ran in, and saw her sister was OK. She sighed with relief. "Take Toushi with you. He'll know the basics of cleaning."

"No I don't."

"Then you weren't paying attention during my lessons." She said between her teeth in anger.

"N-Now, Otae, calm down…!"

"How can I calm down? Kagura still needs a checkup, and the baby needs to be washed. NOW.

"My, you didn't call for me?" Mitsuki walked in.

"Dr. Mitsuki!" Everyone said.

"I'll clean. Otae, you do the examination."

"All right. Leave it to me."

"Come here, honey…" Mitsuki looked lovingly at the baby. After all, it was her best friend's grandchild. It was like a piece of her.

"You look OK. You made it through the worst." Otae smiled, "However, you still won't live long. Another 5 years… Maybe." She said sadly.

"At least she's in this world… My dear baby…" Kagura told her.

"Let's not give up hope. Maybe a cure will be found soon." Gin stroked her hair.

"There's a doctor who's researching a cure right now on a faraway planet." Mitsuki told them as she entered, "I'll tell you if there's any news."

"Thank you, Doctor Mitsuki." Kagura took the bundle from her arms. Mitsuki and everyone else left the room for the couple and their child to be in peace. She just stared at the little baby for a moment. She tried to take in that this was her baby. The baby she could have lost her life from. The beautiful baby made from her and Gin, the one she loved.

"Ah!" Gintoki pointed to a tuft of hair on her hair. It was beautifully silver, with a shine of blue to it.

"The Silver Soul lives on." Kagura cheered quietly.

"What's her name?" he asked her.

"How about something from both of our names… Kagi?" she asked.

"It's pretty. The word for 'Key'." He kissed his wife, "Her name is Kagi. The key to our happiness." And so the couple talked with each other, the baby slept, and when she woke up, Gin took her in his hands. They communicated with each other, their hands entwining with each other, giggles from all of them, and slowly heading towards the night, the new family of three fell asleep.

Told you. Two babies, two chapters. Kagi is going to be Takarou's girlfriend in the future, by the way. And… Well, I won't spoil the rest. All I'll say is… Tora and Takiko. No more spoilers~ I hope you enjoy the next chapters! I'll do my best to write them! …As long as I don't get writers block. Well, if I do, I'll start a new fanfic for a while. I always do that. Crap, I've already got too many unfinished stories. God… XD

_Song of this chapter_

_Kimi ga Tame_

_Artist: Suara_

_Anime Origin: Utawaremono_

_Translated by: Ameyoke_


	10. Chapter 10: I Want You To Live

**Chapter 10: I Want You To Live**

"Hey, Toushi, can you help me out?" Otae held their baby boy in her arms.

"With what?"

"Can you help me wash the baby?"

"Ah, yeah." He stood up. It was already evening, and Otae had just delivered Kagura's baby. She was very tired.

"All right Takarou, in you go…" Otae placed him in the bath, where he laughed. Obviously, he liked water, "He's laughing!" She clapped her hands. He hadn't laughed this much before, ever.

"He's so cute…" Hijikata blushed.

"Oh~? What about me?" She thrust herself in his arms, snuggling against his chest.

"Are you getting jealous of your own child again?"

"Maybe~" She stroked her hand on his cheek, moving around his hair. He took her hand and kissed her tight.

"I missed you, I really did." She whispered.

"Someday I'll come back for good." He replied softly in her ear. A splash was heard behind them.

"Ah, sorry Takarou, Mama got distracted." She went back to her child and stroked soap on him. Toushi smiled, happy he could be with his family.

"Are you too tired?" Toushi winked to Tae as she picked the baby out of the bath and dried him off with a soft towel.

"Of course not. As long as we get in the tub." She smirked. She placed her baby in his cradle, and let him fall asleep. He was a pretty good sleeper.

"Ah~" Otae eased her body into the tub, sitting by Toushi, "This feels great."

"Really." He pulled her to his body. She turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.

"Wait, you're wearing protection, right?"

"What, you don't want another child?" He said sarcastically.

"I'm serious Toushi! I have enough trouble taking care of Takarou, as sweet as he is." She turned away from him, playing the pouty girl.

"Sorry Tae, I'm just playing." He hugged her from behind, drooping his chin over her left shoulder.

"So you have on protection?" Silence occurred. Tae stood up. "I'm getting out."

"Waitwaitwait, I AM wearing it, come back, OK?"

"Really?"

"Do you want to check?" He pointed inside the soapy water, and she blushed.

"No thanks." She came back in.

"What are you getting so embarrassed about?" He snickered.

"Last time it was dark, I couldn't see, it's embarrassing to think about your…" Her face went red. "Never mind." He laughed and kissed her lips. They got out of the tub and slipped on their robes. Otae fell on the bed, he arched himself over her.

"I'll come back, I swear…" He gave her a fiery kiss and fell on top off her, "I'll come back alive and become your husband."

"Please…!" She pleaded with tears coming from her eyes, knowing he would have to go to war soon. She took a deep breath as a jolt of wonderful pain shuddered through her body. She was in his arms again. He was here with her. She just wished the moment could last forever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_~2 Years Later~_

"Gin, welcome home." Kagura greeted Gintoki from her bed as he entered the room. Kagi smiled and waddled to her father.

"Papa!" She hugged him tightly. He smiled sadly at his daughter.

"What's wrong?" Kagura asked him.

"I got a call from Doctor Mitsuki. She said the cure has been found by that doctor."

"Really?!" She said enthusiastically.

"…The treatment will take two years."

"…Oh. Well, if you two will come with me-"

"We don't have enough money for that."

"…Then I'm not going."

"I already bought your ticket." He held it up for her to see.

"Give it!" She jumped up and tried to grab it. He pulled it away, and she got down on her knees. "Don't make me go!!!" She sobbed, "Don't separate me from my baby!!!"

"It's just for two years!"

"Don't leave me Gin…!!!" She begged.

"I don't want to be apart from you either, but I want you to live!!!" He yelled.

"Gin…!"

"Please…" Tears dripped down his cheeks.

"…All right." Kagura swallowed her pride.

"Thank you…" He hugged her tight, and Kagi started to cry softly.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry, we scared you, didn't we?" Kagura took her child into her arms, "…How long until my departure?"

"The only opening the doctor had was in two days. You'll be travelling all tomorrow."

"That soon?!"

"Sorry."

"No… It's fine." She smiled and shook her head, "Thank you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Kagura was all dressed and ready to go. She was in her combat outfit she hadn't worn since she gave birth. Kagi was in her arms as she approached the train.

"Well," Kagura kissed Kagi on the cheek, "Here we are."

"I sent your mom's old wheelchair on the train. If you ever feel tired…"

"I know, Gin, I know." She smiled and handed Kagi to him. "Baton pass!" She yelled, and the other passengers looked at her weird. A Pokemon reference…?

"Sweet kiss!" Gin exclaimed as took his wife in his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. She then released him and walked onto the train.

"Teleport!!!" She smiled but cried as she yelled over the space train moving away.

"Minimize!" Gintoki kneeled down, keeping Kagi in the air.

"Tail whip!" Kagi shook her back side very cutely in the air. Kagura giggled as tears dripped from her eyes.

"HYDRO PUMP!!!" She yelled as loud as she could, and that was the last they saw of that space train.

"What the hell…?" Gin laughed softly, "That one doesn't even make any sense…!" Kagi saw tears dripping from her father's face, and so they started from her own as well. It would be a while before they saw each other again.

_~2 Years Later~_

"Papa! I'm up!" 4-year old Kagi ran through the hall. She had Kagura's eyes and face with Gin's silver hair, except with a touch of blue to it. It reached down to her waist, and was held back with a hair clip in the back. She wore a cute little solid blue dress with shorts underneath, and black sandals.

"Wow, you're fast." Gin looked at his daughter in his bathrobe and kneeled over to see her eye-to-eye.

"Papa, I love your hair. It's all fluffy and puffy." Kagi put her hands through it and felt it on her fingers.

"Yeah, I love it too. But Kagi's hair is even prettier. Wanna trade?"

"No~ Kagi likes hers~" She giggled and twiddled her hands together, embarrassed.

"I'll get dressed, so be a good girl and eat the breakfast on the table, OK?"

"Yes~" She ran to the breakfast table and took the bowl of rice into her hands. With chopsticks, she scooped it into her mouth.

"All right, let's go!" Gin gave her a thumbs-up, and she gave one back with rice on her mouth, "Wait up, we've gotta clean your face." He took a napkin and rubbed it as she closed her eyes.

"Thank you Papa~" She said obediently and took a small helmet from the coat rack.

"Let's ride!" He slipped his helmet on, and helped her buckle hers. They rode on his bike together for about five minutes, until they reached the Shimura Dojo.

"I won't wear something that stupid." A small boy said to his mother.

"Oh come on Takarou, you want to impress Kagi-chan, don't you? A traditional samurai is really cool~" Otae tried to coax him.

"Otae, a real man wears a Shinsengumi jacket." Toushi held up a miniature Shinsengumi uniform for him to wear.

"I meant both are stupid." He told his parents bluntly.

"Samurai!" Otae yelled at Toushi, ignoring her son.

"Shinsengumi!" He yelled back.

"Samurai!"

"Shinsengumi!"

"Taka-chan!" Kagi called from the front porch, and Takarou walked away from his bickering parents.

"Kagi." He smiled slightly to her. He didn't smile that often, and the only one he did for was Kagi.

"Sorry, do you think you could keep tabs on her for a little?" Gin put up his hand to ask, "She's so curious all the time. When I have to do a job, she insists she goes, and when she doesn't, she cries."

"That's no problem. Takarou loves spending time with her." Otae and Toushi sprung back into parenting figures.

"Ah, and mom, I'll wear the samurai one."

"YES!!! Did you hear that Toushi?! I win!!!"

"Tch…!" He gritted his teeth.

"Ohohohoho~ In your face!" Otae jumped up and down.

"Does Auntie Tae always win?"

"No. I just do it like this. Mom, dad, mom, dad… It stays even that way."

"Your family looks as fun as ever." Gin laughed.

"Don't you have work to do?!" Toushi growled at the man, sore from his loss.

"Oh, yeah, I do. I'll see you later Kagi, Otae, Takarou… Number two." He laughed evilly as he drove off.

"You jackass!!!" Toushi yelled at his rival.

"Come on Kagi, let's go to the playground."

"All right!" She smiled and took his hand, on which he blushed.

"We'll come with you." Otae held a basket with lunch inside, and wore a white sun-dress. Toushi had taken off his Shinsengumi outfit, and was wearing a white, short sleeved button-up shirt. The family and guest, who was like another child to them, walked to the park, where some other children were playing.

"We're going to go to the field, just the two of us. You understand why, right Takarou?" Toushi kneeled down to make eye contact with his son.

"…Yeah." Takarou knew why as his mother and father walked away. He had plenty of time with his dad the past two weeks. The least he could do was give his parents some time alone.

"Hey, Taka-chan, what does your dad mean?" Kagi took his hand as they walked to the sandbox.

"Dad is going away for a year or two. We won't see him for a long time, so mom wants to spend time with him."

"Why?"

"All Shinsengumi are going to protect a base down far away. The rebels are attacking it, so… Yeah. The war is starting."

"Taka-chan, you don't hate the rebels, do you?" "Why?"

"Because my Papa is a rebel, and my mom used to say to me that I'm the daughter of the Silver Demon, my hair is almost exactly like his. And I believe what Papa is doing is right… Do you hate me?"

"I hate the stupid selfish Amanto that came to Earth and made my Dad give up his bushido and join the Shinsengumi. I don't hate the rebels, it's the path my dad chose, though."

"Then you hate me, because I'm half Amanto…"

"No no, I mean the selfish ones, even humans are selfish. You're my best friend, Kagi." He smiled. She did the same.

"Oh~ It's the girl who's half alien!!!" A small boy's voice called.

"Alien! Alien! We'd better run! She might eat our brains!"

"You jerks…!" Takarou had a super violent look in his eyes, and all the boys were freaked. He was about to scuffle with them, but Kagi pulled on his sleeve.

"Taka-chan, please don't fight. Let's just ignore them." Kagi said softly.

"Ah, OK, Kagi." He let down his fists. The boys were shocked by his change of attitude.

"You're all soft because you hang out with that sissy girl! And your dad is the stupid vice-captain of the Shinsengumi! They killed my dad, you jerk!!!"

"That girl is a monster!!! She's a disgrace to the Silver Demon!!!" A boy stuck out his tongue, "Your mom probably left because she knew she'd be killed by your father! After all, she's an Amanto!!!" He laughed.

"DOWN WITH THE AMANTO! DOWN WITH THE AMANTO!" The boys chanted. Kagi fell to her knees and cried hard, imagining the thought of her father killing her mother. Her wonderful parents… Suddenly, she felt a jolt in her chest.

"Hey." Takarou said calmly, "It's fine if you wanna make fun of me, but when you say that kinda stuff to Kagi…" His lifted up his head and looked at them with eyes of a furious demon, "I WILL KILL YOU…!" The boys jumped back, freaked of his look. Takarou ran to them and went to punch them, but Kagi ran faster. They flung to the ground.

"Hey you brats, you don't dare touch Takarou." She put her foot on top of them, "Or I'll beat the crap of you." Kagi cracked her knuckles.

"Ah, here comes Roku again…" Takarou said plainly.

"How are you not surprised?!" The kids exclaimed.

"See, I tried to warn you just now. Don't insult me or her, or Kagi's other side gets out. There's Kagi and Roku, Key and Lock. Kagi is the only one who can unlock her Yato side, which is sealed by her human side. She can do it only once a day, but honestly, you would have been better off getting punched by me than her."

"St-stupid monster!!!" The boys stuck out their tongues as they ran away in fear. Kagi's eyes closed, and her knees drooped. But Takarou was there to catch her.

"Taka-chan…" Kagi looked at him weakly, "Did my other side get out again…?"

"Yeah, but it's OK. You didn't hurt them much. They'll be fine."

"Sorry… I'm a big burden." She stood up on her own feet.

"No, you're not." Takarou took her hand, "Haven't we already gone over this?"

"Sorry…"

"Don't apologize…"

"Hey, it's the Hijikata kid." A man in a dusty robe approached with a metal bar.

"What's it to you?"

"You're coming with me. Maybe I won't hurt your little girlfriend, then. But maybe I'll take her…" The man reached out to a scared Kagi, who was too tired to transform.

"Stay away from her!!!" Takarou held onto his arm and wouldn't let go. Finally, the man slammed him on the ground and was about to punch him out cold, when Kagi jumped in front of him. She fell down to the ground next to him.

"Kagi!!!"

"Taka-chan, are you OK…?" She asked weakly, but stood up even so, "Listen to me rebel, one of my kind."

"One of…?" the man said in confusion. Kagi shuffled with the collar on her sport dress as she grabbed a sterling silver chain underneath.

"If you are one of the rebels, surely you've been told about this pendant by Katsura-san. My mother carries one side of one pendant that is made of pink jade, and my father has a side of another pendant made of green jade. They put one side of each together for their daughter. And do you know who my family is?" She asked him. He shivered in his boots, "My mother is Kagura Sakata of the Yato clan, and my father is Gintoki Sakata, the Silver Demon general of the rebel army. And that makes me their only daughter, Kagi Sakata! If you cross my path ever again, I will tell my father. You don't want that, do you?" Kagi looked sharply at the man. For a 4-year old, Kagi was very intelligent. She could use complicated terms most people thought 8-year-olds at the earliest would say…

"K-K-Kagi- I mean Lady Kagi, please excuse my behavior!" He bowed quickly and ran off. Kagi rubbed her cheek, which hurt from the punch.

"Kagi…"

"I… Was… so scared…!" She sobbed in his arms. Takarou hugged her tight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*"…Toushi." Otae said in the silence of the field. The two of them just sat in the middle of the field, Otae's head was on his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"…I won't be able to call your name for a while, huh…?"

"…Yeah."

"Takarou has become a man early thanks to you."

"He has."

"…I'll miss fighting with you about which outfit he should wear."

"So will I."

"I'll miss sleeping with you every night."

"Me too."

"And taking baths together."

"Ditto."

"But you know, I'll send you a lot of care packages. You'll never get bored or hungry. As long as you're happy, Toushi, I'm happy." Otae smiled brightly, too bright. Toushi kept his eyes forward and didn't say a thing. "…Do you think we should have a second child…? I mean, that way you'll have a new surprise when you come home-"

"Otae."

"Eh?"

"You don't always have to please me, you know. You don't always need to put on a smile before I leave."

"I don't-"

"Yes, you do." He said bluntly, "You try to make me not worry, and you try to serve me the best you can. What is it YOU want Otae?" She looked at him for a while blankly, and then smiled again, that fake smile.

"What do I want?"

"Yeah."

"…I want to cry." She said normally and kept smiling, but tears dripped through her eyelids. Slowly, she opened her beautiful blue eyes. Her smile changed into a mouth about to cry, she deeply took a breath and howled cries in his arms. She remembered all the moments she had with him. The time they met, the time they started to go out, the time they decided to move in together, that sad, passionate night where she gave up her virginity, and of course, when the couple saw each other again, when they embraced after Takarou's birth. To think… If Toushi died, all those memories would be wiped from his mind forever. Otae was strong in battle. Why couldn't she go? There was a simple reason. She wanted to avenge her father's death, the poor samurai who died in poverty because he was forced to give up the one thing he lived for. His sword. The Amanto were the start of her nightmare, and even though she loved Toushi and wanted to help him, she couldn't. However, even though she wanted to help Gintoki and the rebels, she decided the best thing to do would be was to stay out of it and take care of Takarou, and even Kagura and Kagi.

"If I come back… Let's have a wedding." Toushi took her hand and slipped on a ring with a diamond and pink quartz around it. It was the most beautiful object Otae had ever seen. She hugged tight, not ever wanting to let go. But she knew she would have to that afternoon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What are you saying?! You're leaving?!" Kaede jumped up out of the bed, only a sheet to cover her naked body.

"Yeah, that's right. I've gotta leave this afternoon for the base down south." Okita slipped on his shirt, about to start buttoning it.

"No way…! This soon?!" Kaede grabbed from behind, "What if I… Got pregnant this time…? Then will you stay…?"

"Kaede," He said seriously and stroked her face, "You know my job is important. I couldn't even if I wanted to. This is huge. And also… Sorry. I've been wearing protection every time."

"Every time?!" She exclaimed, "So all those times I said I wanted to have a child with you, you went against my wish?!"

"I had to. Do you want our child to grow up without a father? I know what it's like, OK? I was lucky to have my sister as a mom, but it was still…" Okita looked down. Kaede tightened her grip around his chest. It was bare, only his arms were covered by his shirt, and he wore black pants. His untied tie lay hanging around his neck.

"I can't help it…! I want to be connected to you all the time…! Is it bad that I'm clingy?! You think I made love with you all those times and I didn't have a thought for our future…?" Kaede cried softly, "If you die, I'll kill myself…!" She squeezed her eyes shut, when she felt a jolt around her wrists. Okita held them in his hands and kissed her lips.

"Don't be stupid. If you do that, I'll haunt you in the afterlife. If you're going to make that promise, then I'll make this one. I'll come back alive, I swear." He kissed her again.

"You don't want to see me suffer…? That's a first." Kaede laughed slightly with tears dripping down her cheeks.

"And when I come back, let's do this again. Without protection." He said casually as he put on his vest and jacket. Kaede smiled with tears in her eyes and quickly got dressed, even while crying. She wanted to see him off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You take care of your mom, Takarou." Toushi kneeled down to his son, now in his Shinsengumi uniform. Takarou nodded as Kagi gripped onto his secretly shivering hand.

"I guess it's time." Toushi looked at his fiancee. She also shivered holding Takarou's hand.

"You cold?" He asked.

"No, no…" she stroked her hair behind her ear and smiled sadly.

"Otae, don't hold it in."

"I'm OK, really…" He sighed after hearing this.

"All right. At the least, let your tears out. Just keep a smile, OK?" He sincerely smiled to her. She did just as he said, which made her feel a lot better. She gripped her arms around him, and tears dripped from her squeezed eyes as she listened to his heartbeat.

"Okita, I'll send you letters, OK?" Kaede said casually, "And…" She blushed, "Think of kid names for when you get back, OK…?" He nodded and smiled, reached over and kissed her. He hugged her tight, knowing that would be the last warmth of the girl he loved for a long time.

"You're my girl. You always will be." He said defensively, "I love you." That was the first time Okita had actually said ever said those three words. He had answered to 'Do you love me?' with 'Yeah', or a nod, but he had never said the words himself. Kaede embraced him singing a soft little song, feeling him shivering, like he might cry at any minute. After all, after his sister died, the only person he truly connected all the way with was her. The melody was happy, yet sad, a song that could be used for reunion or parting.

Some say love

It is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love

It is a razor

That leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love

It is a hunger

And endless aching need

I say love

It is a flower

And you it's only seed

**How was the chapter? GOD, YES, I DID A LEMON. THINK OF ME AS PERVERTED, GO AHEAD. I couldn't resist~ Le gasp! Kagura leaves?! Will she never return?! And so many time skips?! How old are they now?! Well, Kagura was turning 20 when they were getting married, and a year passed when giving birth to Kagi, plus 4 years… So she's 25 now?! Do the math with everyone else. I'll give an age list later. How is it?! This chapter was mostly about Takarou and Kagi! Hint, they love each other later on~ Well, Takarou already does, but how about Kagi? Hm… AND KAEDE IS NOT A SLUT! She feels very close to Okita, and was determined to have a child with him so that they're always connected, hence the same text before. I love Kaede so much, I think she's changed. She was intended to be 10 years old when I first thought of her, but then I thought, hm, how about Kaede becomes Okita's lover? And that's how it worked out. I have a really good image in my mind of her. I can't wait to draw it!... Maybe later. XD**

**Song of this chapter…**

**Song: The Rose**

**Artist: Bette Midler**


	11. Chapter 11: Mother and Wife

**Chapter 11: Mother and Wife**

"Yorozuya?" A voice called at the door of Gin's work. He stood up, still tired from his previous job of being a bouncer at a bar all afternoon.

"Coming…" He said tiredly, but when he opened his tired eyes, he saw something he didn't expect.

"I'm home!" Kagura smiled brightly like the sun, totally energetic. Gin just stared at her for a little.

"It's… Been two years." He nodded slowly, realizing how fast time had passed.

"I'm all better." Tears dripped from Kagura's smiling face.

"See…? Two years wasn't that bad." He laughed nervously.

"Gin…!"

"Kagura…!" They embraced each other tight, and Gintoki listened to the sobs of his woman. His long-absent wife was finally back. He stroked her hair softly.

"Kagi?!" Kagura looked at him, "Where's Kagi?!"

"Monkeys took her."

"Liar."

"OK, she's playing with Takarou. She should be home pretty-" Before Gin could finish, Otae, Takarou and Kagi walked up.

"Kagi…!" Kagura held her hands over her mouth, but knew what she had to do. She had to smile for her daughter to see.

"Mama…?!" Kagi's eyes welled up as she stood there, looking at the woman up at her dad's work. "MAMA!!!" Kagi screamed desperately to her mother and ran to hug her. Kagura tried to smile, but she couldn't do it anymore. She ran as fast as she could, sobbing like a child.

"KAGI!!!" Kagura cried as she grasped her arms tightly around her child. The mother kept her child close to her, but it was hard to tell who was the mother or child otherwise. They both needed each other, just as Gin needed Kagura, and Kagura needed Gin. Everyone in the family was a valuable piece of their jigsaw puzzle. And now they were together again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Gin…" Kagura rolled over in bed and kissed him. They both lay next to each other, their bare bodies touching softly.

"Yeah?"

"I love saying your name to you again…" She sighed and placed her hand on his muscular chest, "…You aren't going to fight the Shinsengumi right now, are you…?"

"No, I told Katsura I'd only fight when they came here to fight. Until then, I'm protecting you and Kagi." He kissed her forehead, "I've got to say, your hair has gotten longer…" He looked at his wife's orange-red hair which fell down to her hips now, and her hair bun clips, which she now used as regular hair clips on the side of her hair. She had truly become goddess-like, the perfect-looking mother and wife. She kissed him softly, snuggling up to his chest.

"I'll spend time together with Kagi tomorrow, but for now, let me be with you…" She said quietly.

"Of course. Anytime you wish." He smiled and held her close. They never realized that night would be a new turning point in their lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"You're pregnant." Otae smiled to Kagura at Shimura Dojo 2 months later. Kagura sat there, stunned.

"Pregnant..?!" Kagura said out of breath. Otae nodded.

"You're 2 months pregnant. Strange… Right after you came back." She chuckled, knowing what had happened.

"This is… Great! I mean, if Kagi has a little brother or sister, she'll be so happy!"

"I'm sure she will. Kagi is an accepting child. If I had another child, Takarou would throw a fit. Well- More like he wouldn't talk to me. Maybe when Toushi returns. Truth be told, we don't really need another kid, but… It would be nice." She said dreamily.

"Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl yet?" Kagura said with excitement clearly in her eyes.

"No… There's no way to tell until it's born. Not with the technology we have now."

"Oh, I see." Kagura nodded, "I know Gin loves Kagi, but he would like a son too. I can tell."

"All men do. I was lucky with Takarou, but I myself want a girl to pamper."

"Kagi can take you up on that offer. We've been teaching her ways to fight with the power of her Yato side, so we don't have time for that kind of stuff."

"How are you going to tell Gin?" Otae closed her doctor's briefcase, "It's going to be hard. After all, the war has already started… It hasn't gotten extremely bloody yet, but by the time the baby is born…"

"It's better than keeping it from him, though." She said and took a sip of tea.

"I suppose so. He'll probably be thrilled."

"Otae, thank you. I've got to go now." Kagura stood up off of the tatami mat and dusted herself off.

"All right. Come back soon, all right?"

"Sure! Your tea is really good!" Otae smiled at her improvement in cooking. It was her determination to make something yummy for Toushi that made her get better. She went on the porch where she had once held his head in her lap and lifted her left hand into the sun.

"You hear that Toushi? Your fiancee's tea is really good, so come back soon, OK?" She clutched her hand with the ring to her chest and closed her eyes, imagining his arms around her, his hands around her own. Every day was like a year without the one she loved. When would those long years finally end…?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Welcome home, Mama!" Kagi welcomed her mother at the door. Kagura smiled and patted her on the head.

"Thanks Kagi. Will you go get Papa for me? Tell him the entire family needs to talk."

"All right. Are you OK, Mama?"

"Yeah, Mama's fine. Just get Papa, all right?"

"OK." Kagi ran off upstairs, where her father was sleeping, "Papa, Papa, it's time to get up." Kagi shook her father.

"Not now, Kagi… Five more minutes…"

"Mama said she needs to talk with all of us. I think it's important."

"Important…?" He sat up and scratched his head. He had been working hard to earn enough money to pay for all three of them now. Kagura was looking for a job, but because of the rebels that were around recently, it was hard for an Amanto to find a job, no matter how beautiful and human-looking she was. Gin walked down stairs with Kagi and sat on the couch opposite of Kagura.

"'Morning, Sleepyhead." She smiled.

"Yo." He smiled back.

"What is it, Mama?"

"Well, I just went to Otae's for a check-up, because I had been feeling pretty crappy… And here's what she told me." The father and daughter gulped. Could her disease have come back or something…? They waited in patience. "…I'm pregnant."

"Wha…?" Gin said in shock.

"Papa, what does 'pregnant' mean?" Kagi tugged on his sleeve.

"Well, it basically means that a woman is going to give birth to a child sometime soon…"

"Wait, so I'm going to have a little brother or sister?!"

"That's right, Kagi. And YOU'RE going to be the big one. You can make it your slave or whatever." Kagura sparkled.

"Kagura, don't give her ideas."

"That's so great! I can't wait to have someone to play with!" Kagi was a shy and innocent little girl. She didn't have plans for world domination like her mother… OK, Kagura didn't have THOSE kind of plans.

"Wow… So now we have a wedding baby, and a reunion baby." Gintoki chuckled.

"What am I?" Kagi asked.

"You're the wedding baby."

"Why am I the wedding baby?" Pause. Gin was about to explain it to her, but if he did, that might be rated R…

"Oh come on Gin, it's not that bad. I already taught Kagi about sex. Right, Kagi?"

"Y-Yes!" Kagi's face went red, remembering the lessons her mother gave her.

"Kagura, what the HELL did you teach her?"

"Just the basics. Nothing bad. She'll learn when she starts to go to school next year-"

"They don't learn that in kindergarten!!!"

"So that means you got pregnant with me on your wedding night?"

"That's right! Kagi, you're so smart." Kagura patted her on the head.

"Too smart… The last two years, she didn't want to get children's books from the library, she wanted chapter books. After she devoured them, she returned them back to the library. She's so fast at reading, so smart."

"I'm not that good…" Kagi blushed from being praised so highly by her father.

"Yes you are, Kagi." Kagura kissed her daughter on the cheek and brought her into her lap. Kagi held tight onto her arm.

"Where's my beautiful granddaughter?!" An excited voice said behind their front door.

"Grandpa Raizou!" Kagi clapped her hands, and Kagura hugged her father who had entered with Kagi on her hip.

"Kagura, you look very well. I'm so glad you got through the disease. I'm sure Kanade is overjoyed in heaven." He kissed his daughter.

"I'm sure she is, Papa." Kagura smiled.

"Hey, Uncle…" Gin said when they had sat down at the coffee table, "Are you planning to remarry?"

"That was blunt." Raizou almost spit up his tea, "I have a policy. I decided that if I ever got married once, I would never marry again if my wife died early. It makes it harder when you get to the afterlife, you know?" He laughed heartily. Kagura smiled happily, knowing that he only had eyes for her mother.

"Dad, we have some news for you." She placed her hand with her wedding ring on her tummy, "I'm pregnant again."

"Again?!" Raizou hopped up with joy, "That's great! Another granddaughter!!!"

"It's not necessarily a granddaughter, you know." Gin said sagely as he took a sip of tea.

"No, it has to be. After all, 2 years after Kagura, Kaede was born."

"That's one time. Doesn't Kagura have a brother?" He said without thinking. The room went silent. Gin realized what he had done wrong, and quickly picked the conversation back up. "I'll bet you 1000 yen that it'll be a boy."

"And for me, 1000 yen it's a girl!"

"Done!" The two hard-headed men shook hands.

"I'm the one giving birth you know." She laughed. Everyone sat around, laughing, smiling, talking. But pretty soon, this kind of thing would become rare.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are they here?!" Kagura asked desperately to Sa-Chan, the ninja who was once infatuated with Gintoki. More than 6 months had passed since that time at the table with the family. Kagi clung to her mother tightly, scared of what might happen. Suprisingly, Takarou did the same to his mother, Otae. War is a scary thing. It can change brave boys back into the children they really are. Kaede was against a wall, scared of what might happen to Okita and everyone else.

"We'll have to change positions soon. If the Amanto find out where you and Kagi are Kagura, well, it's all over. If they had something against the Silver Demon…" Sa-Chan cut herself off, "It wouldn't be pretty." The entire group of people was underground in a tunnel that the ninjas used. It was dark and cold, and there was no food around. It was all right, though. They had only been there for a day or two. This battle was going to be short. It was probably the last.

"Come quickly." Sa-Chan fixed her glasses on her nose and crawled down the tunnel with the others close behind her. For about an hour they crawled to their new location.

"Here, take a rest." She lead them to a much bigger area with head room, it was like a regular room in a house.

"What is this place…?"

"It's a rest shelter we made in between tunnels so that if there were a need, ninjas could stop for a good rest and food.

"There's food?!" Kagura piped up.

"Only canned food and jerky."

"Still, it's food, food!" She looked into the cabinets and saw different potato chips and canned drinks, canned food and jerky… It sounded good to her.

"It'll all have to be cold because of the smoke."

"That's fine." Otae pulled out some meat and mashed potatos in a can for her and Takarou, "I brought an electric heater."

"No electricity."

"The power of batteries." Otae put it in a pot and stirred it around. It slowly fell apart and became more moist because of the heat.

"Here, everyone gets one serving of this." Otae scooped out a scoop for each person. There were 3 cans of it, so it made a pretty good scoop, but for Kagura, who was full-blooded Yato and also pregnant, it wasn't nearly enough.

"I'll cook something else for you, don't worry." Otae noticed Kagura's anticipating face, and she blushed from her gluttony. Otae took another pot from the cupboard and placed chips from a bag inside.

"By the way, what do we do with the dishes?" Kagi asked.

"Oh, usually when the mission is done, someone comes back and cleans them. It's fine. We'll come back later." Sa-chan nodded.

"Here, it's cold in here, so everyone take some." Otae emptied the first few servings of hot chips of some kind onto their plates.

"What are these?" Takarou sniffed at the orange-colored chip.

"They're sweet potato chips, and I added some cinnamon and sugar. We all need something sweet to keep us going right now." She took a bite and smiled.

"Kaede, what's wrong? Why aren't you eating?" Kagura placed her hand to her arm.

"How can you be so damn calm?!" Kaede slapped away her sister's hand. "The one I love could die any second! I'm not saying I agree with the Amanto's ways, but think about it! We'll be sent off right back to our planet if the rebels win! And who knows where daddy is right now…" Kaede curled up into a ball. "I'm scared… I want to fight with Okita, but then I'll be going against my sister and her family, and also my beliefs. If I fight with the rebels…" She shuddered at the thought of her loved one dying at her own hand.

"…I know. I know how you feel Kaede. I'm going through the same dilemma." Otae took a bite of a sweet potato chip, "But I have faith that Toushi will be all right. But it's matter of pride. The reason they've been fighting for all this time… It doesn't matter if they lose. Not even to them. I believe that Gin will defeat both Toushi and Okita, and they'll give up easily. They'll live. They'll come home. They'll marry us."

"I want to fight with Gintoki, but then I would get in the way. I'd waver because of Okita, the man who used to have feelings for me, and Hijikata, the man who is my best friend's fiancee. Also, I have my own job. I have to give birth any-" A splash of water was heard, "Second?" She said weakly and realized. It was time for the baby to come.

"Mama!" Kagi called to her mother.

"I'm fine, really…" She layed down on the ground.

"All right, let's get her to the bedroom." Otae opened a door and inside was a small, but useful bedroom, it even had a sink.

"Why only a bed and sink?" Takarou asked. All there was was a bed and a sink, nothing else.

"Well, we get tired after missions, so the bed is a no-brainer. For the sink, it's because we sometimes get blood stains, and those are hard to get out."

"Big sister, I'm sorry I swatted your hand away!" Kaede begged Kagura and grasped her hand. Kagura tightened her grip.

"It's fine. You've never gotten angry at me, and I'm glad you finally did. I have Okita to thank, I guess." She laughed and pushed hard.

"Her body condition is normal. Thanks to the cure for that disease, she should give birth just fine." Otae stroked Kagura's hair, "But I can tell you're suffering, Kagura. You want your husband here, don't you?"

"More than anything…" Tears dripped down her cheeks. Kaede had realized now. Kagura was pretending the entire time, trying to act like a good big sister so no one would be scared.

"Sa-chan, where's the nearest exit?" Kaede jumped out to the main room of the little hideout.

"You can get out through the hatch up there. That's how we resupply our food and wash and stuff." She thought for a moment, when Kaede hopped up on the table where the hatch was just above. "You can't be-?!"

"I'll be back!" Kaede quickly jumped onto the ledge above the hole. "AND DON'T TELL ANYONE, OK?!" She yelled, already starting run on the surface. Sa-chan repositioned her glasses.

"Gin-san is one lucky man to have a sister-in-law like that… And to have such a lovely wife… Even though he didn't choose me, I'm still happy…" Sa-chan smiled while she had tears streaming down her face.

"Gintoki! I'll never forgive you if you die! You'd better not leave my sister behind when she loves you so much!" Kaede ran as fast as she could through the dark, blood-stained Edo streets.


	12. Chapter 5 and a Half

**Chapter 5.5: ~A Story of Kagura's Family~**

"Kamui, Kagura, Kaede, we need to bring your mother away to get treatment. And they don't have enough space for a child that isn't getting treatment and not paying…" My father tells us, feeling guilty.

"My children… You'll be going to our friend's home. They're very nice." My weak mother, Kanade says quietly. We looked sadly at our mom. Kamui Nii-chan looks like he's taking it kind of hard.

"We can only take two of them… We don't have enough money to take any more." The mustached man tells my parents.

"We can make special arrangements to take another one with us… We can let them work at the clinic." Dad looks sadly at us. There's Kaede, 6 years old. Me, I'm 8. And Kamui is 13.

"We'll take the older ones in." The man tells us. Dad picks me and Nii-chan up, kisses us on our heads.

"Kaede…!" I call, and Kamui looks desperately at his sister being taken away from him. He cares so much about her, and so do I.

"Are you just going to abandon us, old man?! Kamui yells at dad, who he trusts so much. Dad grits his teeth, listening to his son scolding him, and his daughter crying to come.

"He's a nice man…" Dad smiles to his son. "You both will be safe."

"Papa…!!!" I cry. Kamui Nii-chan screams as we are picked up by the mustached man and brought inside the house. We are brought inside a damp, old room. It's getting dark, and it's been ten minutes since that man left.

"I'll kill that guy…!"

"Bro, Papa had no choice…!" I hold his hand.

"No, that mustached weirdo! He's so damn annoying! Someday, we should kill him, Kagura."

"Nii-chan…" I look at him sadly.

3 years later… Kamui really tried to kill Papi. And then I saw it. The blood inside of Papi boiled, and he tried to kill Nii-chan. I screamed. My one brother, would he die…?

"Papi, please stop…!" I cry and grab onto him, shivering. Nii-chan barely got away with his life. Not able to look me in the face the same way again, Kamui Nii-chan left on a journey. A journey for power…? I never knew. After that, I didn't have my stupid brother to talk with anymore. And Mami died a bit later, so I didn't have a Mom. And then finally, Papi always left me behind, so I didn't have a dad. I was all alone. I wanted that happy family back. My dad, Raizou, who was always spunky and made us laugh. My mom, Kanade, who was kind and gentle, always helping us when we fought, teaching us not to use violence. My big brother, Kamui, who taught me weird things about the outside world and usually had something interesting to talk about. And Kaede, my sweet little sister who always clung to us. She used to say, "I'm gonna marry Kamui Nii-chan!". Kaede was absolutely infatuated with him, and it seemed that even at his more mature age, he was too. I wanted to go back to those times. I really did… Even now. But I know there's someone here for me.

"Kagura?" A voice calls. A familiar voice.

"Gin…?" I look softly up at him. His muscular chest is right by me. I snuggle up to him.

"Were you having a bad dream?" He asks me, and I shake my head.

"I mean, it was bad at first, but it's OK now. I feel better." He smiles and kisses me.

"I'm glad. I don't want my wife being sad when I just got married to her only a month ago."

"No no, I'm really happy, trust me." I hug him softly, and through the silk of my pajamas, I can feel his warmth and heartbeat. I like it like this. I'm making a new family.


	13. Chapter 12: Strong and Beautiful

**Chapter 12: Strong and Beautiful**

Kaede panted as she ran through the streets. She saw amanto and human corpses on the ground, and she covered her mouth to protect her nose from the stench.

"Okita! Would you stop this little child's play?" Gin rested his wooden sword on his shoulder. "I've got a wife and two children to go back to… One's not even born yet!"

"I need to finish what I've been working for all this time! I'm not letting you go home till then!"

"…If you do something so foolish… Those you love will get involved, even hurt. I'm doing this so my wife and I can live freely in the country… And my children to go to school without pregidus. I'm not doing this for stupid pride's sake."

"…Kaede will be fine without me."

"Don't be stupid!" Gin slammed his fist into his face.

"What would you know?!" He yelled at him. "Kaede is strong and independent now, but if I have a child with her, how will I know she won't lose her wings like Kagura did?! I don't want that! I don't want my beautiful girl to be trapped!" Okita looked up, his mouth dripping warm blood. She was standing there, looking at him.

"Sougou…" In her hands were her two chakrams for fighting. She ran over to him as he dropped to the ground, shocked that she was there. It had been nearly a year since they had seen each other.

"Kaede…?" He whispered, about to cough. He had gotten many wounds, even before Gin. Kaede took his upper torso in her arms, placing it in her lap.

"I'll never be trapped… Sougou, you set me free…!"

"…Kaede…" He looked at her softly. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him, then looked up at Gintoki.

"It's over, Gin. You win." Kaede smiled. "But please hurry back to Kagura, she's in labor!"

"What?!" Gin exclaimed.

"Go!"

"Right!" He started to leave, when a familiar figure jumped in front of him.

"Not so fast, Gintoki…"

"Kamui…!"

"Kamui onii-san!" Kaede's eyes widened.

"Kaede…?!" Kamui jumped down and walked to her. "What are you doing here?!"

"Kamui onii-san, I can't believe it's you…!" Okita raised his head and stood up with Kaede. Kaede let go of his hand and hugged her brother tightly.

"I missed you…!" She tightened her grip around him. The siblings had been apart for a long time. Around 17 years.

"Me too…" He opened his eyes from their fakey smile and hugged her softly.

"Onii-san, where have you been all this time?" The girl demanded.

"Being a true amanto. I became a mercenary."

"I see…"

"…Kaede, come back with me."

"Eh?"

"Let's get married, like we promised when we were kids."

"What…?" Kaede's pupils went small. Her heart beat very hard. "I said that when I was a little girl… Onii-san, you were just playing along, right?"

"Of course not…" He hugged her again. "I've searched for you for so long… I looked for you and father and mother… But mostly you, Kaede. Let's get married… Let's be together forever."

"…Mother's dead now…"

"…I see…" His eyes darkened.

"Kamui- Mm!" Her mouth was covered by his lips. Flames of a demon raged inside Okita. "Onii-san, what are you doing?!?!" She pushed him off.

"Get your hands off my girl!!!" He yelled. His sword slashed Kamui on the cheek.

"Your girl…?"

"Onii-san, Okita is my fiancée! Don't hurt him…!" She persuaded her powerful brother.

"…I see…" His fake smile returned as he walked towards Okita. "Sorry to disappoint you, but your relationship with my sister will have to be just a fling, because it's over." He slammed Okita in the ribs and into the ground. Blood spattered from his mouth.

"SOUGOU!!!" She screamed. He walked closer to the boy and picked him up by the collar.

"Do me a favor and die?" He smiled, but as he lifted his hand to punch him, A wooden sword slammed against him.

"Oi oi, can't you even listen to the tears of your sister?" Gin looked up at him with angry eyes. "Some husband you'd make. If my wife Kagura screamed like that, I'd be begging for mercy and pay the guy I hurt a million yen." Kamui dropped Okita to he ground.

"So… You married Kagura, did you? Do you realize the dangers? Half-breed children?"

"Well… I got one half-breed already and another on the way, but in my eyes they're the most beautiful children I've ever seen. There's nothing abnormal about them."

"Hm… Well. I suppose I'll kill you and then your little children." Kamui started to spar with Gintoki's sword using his hands.

"You can try, but my daughter's got quite a dark side…!"

"Sougou…!" Kaede listened to his heartbeat. He was still alive, thank God. She knew what she had to do, and there wasn't much time left. "Gintoki! You think a mere human can take on an amanto?!" She ran as fast as she could. "Haaaah!" Kaede released her chakrams as the spun in a round shape toward Kamui. They hit his arm a little, the two chakrams met, and then they went back in the circle and headed back to Kaede.

"What are you-?!" Gin exclaimed, glad his hair hadn't been cut off, or even worse, his head.

"Onee-chan needs you right now! Go!!!" Kaede called as she caught her chakrams by their handles as they zoomed back into her hands with a thunk.

"…All right! Thanks Kaede!!!" He yelled and ran off. Kamui licked his arm where the chakrams had slightly hit.

"Taking sides with Gintoki over your own brother…?" He said calmly.

"I can't allow you to hurt people I care about! …Even if you're my big brother!"

"Show me your strength." Kaede jumped in the air and slammed the chakrams against his sword. They fiercely battled over and over until both were cut and bruised and their wet legs were covered in warm dirt. A storm had started to come. Until finally…

"Game over, Kaede." Kamui panted with sword to her neck. The rain showered like pins on her eyes and face. There was water coming down her cheeks… Was it water or tears? She would die now. Then her lover would die. And they'd never have that warm, cozy, loving life in a little house in the countryside. But he removed the sword from her throat.

"Kamui…!" She sat up, her clothes covered in mud.

"…You've grown strong. I could barely keep up. You're not the little girl I once knew…"

"Onii-san…"

"I still love you, of course. But…" He looked at Okita on the ground, his blood smeared on his face washing away with the rain, "If I were to see you cry again like that… God, I don't know what I'd do." He slightly chuckled with his bangs over his eyes, holding his forehead with his hand. Kaede hugged her brother tight. Her tears dripped down as she smiled.

"I'm sorry… I do love you… But… As a brother. As a best friend. As my… First love." She kissed him on the cheek where tears of his own were falling. He released himself from her arms slowly.

"Goodbye, Kaede…" He walked away.

"When will you come back?!"

"…Someday. I'll come see my nieces and nephews… I'm such an idiot… I missed all the things that were important while trying to take on my lonely heritage alone… Tell Kagura… I'm sorry."

"Yes, Onii-chan." He gasped, hearing her say Onii-chan for the first time since they parted. He felt something when they looked at each other. He saw the 6-year old little girl in front of him and then the 23 year old woman. She had grown so much… And he wasn't around to see it. Come to think of it… He had grown too… But mostly today. This 30-year old hadn't grown past 13 for 17 years… God… He walked off as his sister looked at him, holding her lover in her arms.

"…gou…! Sougou…!" Kaede called. He started to come to. Okita's eyelids opened slowly.

"Kaede…?"

"Thank god…! You're alive…!!!" She hugged him tight.

"Oi, that hurts…"

"Dummy…!" Tears fell from her eyes onto his cheeks. "I thought I'd never see you again…!"

"…I'll do anything to save my girl. Even if I lose my life-"

"Shh…" She smiled and stroked his hair. "Sleep now, Sougou… I'm here… It's all right." He looked into her eyes as she sung a song to let him fall asleep.

_**The courage to live on**_

_**A future that I love**_

_**Thanks to, everybody's kind strength**_

_**I now believe in love**_

_**Some slender fingertips**_

_**And pretty eyes to see**_

_**The thing I won't forget's that memory**_

_**Your face is, engraved inside.**_

_**More and more it is awakened**_

_**Deep inside of a dream**_

_**When you think of, my peaceful sleeping face**_

_**You feel great happiness**_

_**On the other side of the sky**_

_**I can reach my wishes and fly**_

_**I get there with my wings in my heart**_

_**As I start to walk along.**_

"Wife and child of the Silver Demon, die!!!" An amanto had appeared underground. He grabbed Kagi faster than anyone could see. If the women striked now… "So… Are you willing to die now?" The gross alien cackled.

"Kh…!" Kagura held in her wails from labor and looked at him, unable to respond.

"…off my…" Kagi whispered.

"What was that?!" He glared.

"GET YOUR F**KING HANDS OFF MY MOM, BASTARD!!!" Kagi (or shall I say, Roku) slammed her foot against the amanto and he flew across the room into the tunnel. "Sa-chan, grab him!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Sa-chan rushed to the amanto and wrapped him as tight as she could in ropes. He lay knocked out, and she threw him outside of the tunnel. "AND STAY OUT!!!" She screeched, then looked outside.. "…It seems to have quieted down… Once the baby is born, let's move back to Kagura's house."

"That's a good idea… Ah!" Something had happened.

"Kagura?!" Gintoki yelled in their house, looking to see if his wife had come back. Surprisingly, the house wasn't hit hard. They must have known that no one would be there, so they avoided it.

"Gin-san, you're all right!" Otae ran downstairs and smiled. "Congratulations. You're a father to second child."

"Really?!"

"Of course. What do you think being pregnant means?" She giggled. Your wife is waiting upstairs. She's tired, but perfectly healthy."

"That's great… I'll have to apologize for not being there…"

"Where's Kaede?"

"She went to go help Okita… She had to fight against Kamui."

"What?!"

"But… I think she's perfectly fine, and so is Okita.

"That's great…" Otae smiled softly.

"I'm going to see-"

"Wait!" She pulled on his sleeve. "Toushi… Did you see him…?"

"Ah… Him? I kinda beat him in a fight…"

"I… see…" A silence occurred between the two.

"…'I'll be back right away, so don't worry and wait for me'… He said." Gintoki told her with a smile. Tears flowed from her eyes as a happy face was graced by a smile. She fell to the ground, so overcome with joy.

"Mom, does that mean Dad's coming back?!"

"Yes, Takarou…!" Otae held her son closely to herself, stroking his hair that was so much like his father's, "Dad's coming home…!"

"Kagura!" Gin ran in to see a small baby in her arms, and Kagi up on the bed with her.

"Papa!!!" Kagi jumped down and hugged him tight. The little girl cried with relief into her father's chest as he picked her up.

"…Hey… You doing all right?" He sat down on the bed. She nodded softly. "Sorry… I wasn't here."

"I know… It's OK. I'm happy you're here now." She hugged him softly with the baby in her arms as well. "You wanna meet your new son?" She whispered over his shoulder.

"A son…?" He smiled and took the boy into his arms. The boy looked strong and beautiful… And had a tuft of red hair on his head! "Wow. Red hair."

"It's even darker than my hair…" Kagura chuckled.

"So… What's his name?"

"Hm… I want something to do with his hair! And something strong, to commemorate this day… The day the war ended."

"Something strong…" Gintoki thought of a silver demon, then a lion, then…

"Tora?" He suggested.

"Tora?" She repeated.

"Because a tiger is strong… It seems to represent freedom to me…"

"…You're right." Kagura nodded happily. "Let's name him Tora!"

"Sounds good to me."

"Tora Sakata."

"So now I have a little brother?" Kagi snuggled up on the bed and giggled excitedly.

"Yup, so you take good care of him, 'K?" Gin rubbed his daughter's head, and Kagura smiled.

"…Welcome home, Gin."

"I'm home… Kagura." They reached their lips together and kissed, so happy to be alive and together.

~*~*~*~

Otae sat on their porch while Takarou slept in his bed. She looked out to the horizon, and smelled the scent of asphalt and dew on the grass. She then saw a shadow, a man with his jacket open, some blood dripping on his face and chest. Her expression only changed to a smile, as she kept on the porch in the seiza position, her knees underneath her. There was silence as he approached her. He stood for a moment, then went on the porch, and let his head rest in her lap. She stroked his hair and hummed with her eyes closed.

"…I'm home."

"…Welcome home, Toushi." She opened her eyes, and tears dripped down, still smiling. To her surprise, he was crying too. He raised his head and kissed her, their tears falling down their cheeks.

~*~*~*~

"Sougou… Let's go home. Let's be free together."

"…Sounds good, Kaede." He lifted his head and kissed her.


	14. Final Chapter: For Freedom

**For Freedom**

_~16 Years Later~_

"Takarou!" A slightly petite girl ran through the Edo streets in an olive colored China dress. Her silver hair had two braids in the front.

"Kagi." A handsome grown man with slightly brown black hair looked to his girlfriend. He wore black pants with a white short sleeved dress shirt. She smiled softly, but then a drunken man touched her butt.

"BASTARD!" The couple kicked him both at the same time. Then, Kagi suddenly changed back.

"I'm sorry… I lost control again…" She sniffled.

"No, it's OK, I got mad too…" He hugged her tight as the people passed by. She snuggled her face on his chest.

"Come on, let's go! We've got a picnic today for watching the cherry blossoms!" She took him by the hand and they walked through the crowd.

"So… I heard your sister got married." A girl with dusty blonde hair in a ponytail moved her legs back and forth on a bench. She had a black puffy vest on and a black skirt with black leggings underneath, and black tennis shoes with white shoe laces. Chains hung around her waist, and gold two inch line earrings hung from her ears.

"Yeah… She's happy, so it's all good." A boy wore Gintoki's clothing, except the blue on the kimono was red. His hair was bright red, fluffy and spiky, his neck-length hair tied in the back, with an earring the same as hers.

"Tora… Someday we'll get married, right…?"

"Huh? It's not like you to talk about mushy stuff like that, Izuna."

"Stupid! I'm just thinking!" She punched him in the face, and he fell back. She picked up her motorcycle. "Come on. Let's get moving!" She motioned her hands with fingerless gloves on. Izuna was real tomboy.

"I got it, I got it…" He smiled and stood up. He jumped on behind her and they put on their helmets.

"Get ready!" She revved her handles. Even though she just got her license, she was pretty good damn at driving. The two zipped off.

"They should be almost here." 39 year old Kaede sat down on the picnic blanket with her 40 year old husband, Sougou. They hadn't changed much, just their appearance by a bit. Kaede's clothing had become more covering, with a long, deep purple long sleeved shirt and a long black skirt, all Chinese based, of course. Sougou wore a long dress shirt and black pants.

"Yeah… Hey… Isn't it a bit weird?"

"Hm? What?"

"That Hijikata-san's kid and my kid both are in love with Kagura and Gintoki's kids…"

"It IS a little ironic…"

"But in Japan, cousins can marry, so it's fine…"

"Sougou, Izuna's only 16. She's got a while to go."

"I know." He kissed her softly.

"Hey, sorry to be late." Hijikata was in a man's traditional kimono. He had grown out his hair again, like he had when he was a teen.

"We were picking up some sake." Otae approached in her pink kimono with a bottle of rice wine.

"Ooh, high brand. I never knew you could afford that." Sougou said dully.

"YOU THINK I'M A PAUPER OR SOMETHIN'?!" Hijikata barked at Sougou. The women giggled.

"Hey, you guys!" 41 year old Kagura waved her hand, seeming still as young as ever.

"Yo." Age 48 Gintoki raised his hand out of his man's kimono.

"You two look so young still… How do you do it?"

"We fake it!" They high-fived and laughed. Sweat drop. They were a perfect team.

"Hey Gintoki, where are my grandchildren?!" Raizou said loudly, now about 60.

"And where's MY bet money from 16 years ago?!"

"Bet money…?" He played dumb.

"You know what I mean! Tora was a boy, so give me the money!"

"Come on you guys, later!" Kagura giggled, "Look… The cherry blossoms are so pretty…" They all looked up, and the children quietly sneaked into the watching. The lovers snuggled up against their other's shoulder.

"Kanade… Even though you may be gone, you're always with me. I'm keeping things good down here."

"Raizou… I'm always watching over you, my dear… I wish for your happiness."

"Sougou… I've found the place where I belong… In your arms."

"Kaede, I want to hear your song with a smile for eternity."

"As long as you're here with me, Toushi… That's all I need."

"I want you, the person who believes in me, to stay with me. I want to keep you happy, Otae.

"The one person in the world who understands me… Is you. Let's be together forever, Gin."

"This girl is so important to me… Kagura, you're my family… You're my life."

And so… They all obtained true happiness… At the end of their fight for freedom.

**THE END**

Aw, that's the end! How did you like it? Too many flashbacks and time skips? Maybe, but I liked it! Oh, and too many births. I'm drawing all the characters grown (only to about 25 or so), so stay tuned! …I can't draw guys well, though, so it probably will take longer for them. Kaede's finished, Otae's finished, and Kagi's finished. Look forward to the others! So basically, Izuna is Kaede and Okita's daughter. She's kind of a punk. I really like her design. I'm going to draw her next… Anyone who wants links to the pictures, email me at…

m e w p u d d i n g 1 0 1 e a r t h l I n k . n e t

By the way, they got pretty old, huh? That kinda sucks, but I wanted Tora to be at least 16, and Izuna 15, so I had to age Takarou and Kagi, and that was fine, but then… The rest of them got old. But that's OK, because their youth will remain in my heart forever! (extremely cheesy)

I hope you'll stay with me for the next story if you're interested! I'm going to try to finish all my unfinished fics, but I'm not doing anymore Gintama. Why? Well, um… I got all my pairings in one shot… That's not a oneshot. XD


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